The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is a partnership with the University of Birmingham, the Centre for Appearance Research (University of the West of England) and the CASEVAC injured veterans club.

The principal aim of the Centre is to reduce and eventually eradicate the impact of scarring and related loss of function amongst Armed Forces personnel who sustain critical injuries during their deployment, as well as civilians injured in conflict or terrorism incidents. It will achieve this by supporting a nationally relevant programme of biological and clinical research under three themes:

• Acute wound care and diagnosis – development of therapies and diagnostic tools that are appropriate for treating acute injuries in conflict environments, where risks of contamination, extremes of temperature, and transportability are all factors.

• The biology of scarring – to better inform new treatments by advancing our understanding of how the body heals and protects itself following the types of trauma

• Life-long scar impact, revision, and rehabilitation – improvement of therapies for seriously injured Armed Forces personnel and veterans to reduce and correct scars, and to promote resilience to the psychological impact of their injuries.