Nebraska Wesleyan University kicked off its spring Forum Lecture Series with an expert on regenerative medicine who discussed his latest invention — a spray-cell gun for burn victims.

Dr. Jorg Gerlach, a professor to the Department of Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh’s McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, delivered the lecture “Stem Cell Treatment for Burn Victims: Stem Cell Spray Gun.” 

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Gerlach and his colleagues at the McGowan Institute have developed the Skin-cell Gun, which is now in an experimental phase using human burn victims. The gun — which essentially works like a sophisticated paint spray gun — has shown to help burn victims recover from their injuries faster. Until now, burns have typically been treated with skin grafts.

Prior to his appointment at the McGowan Institute, Gerlach founded the Charite’ Institute for Transplantation and Organ Regeneration at the Charite’ Medical Faculty of the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. His specialties lie in surgery, intensive care and experimental transplantation. He also has an engineering background with expertise in artificial organ development and preclinical trial efforts.