Zinc-infused gel could help soldiers recover from battlefield blast injuries quickly

For soldiers caught in explosions, survival often comes at a steep physical cost. Blast injuries can tear through muscle and bone, leaving survivors with severe tissue loss and long, painful recoveries. While modern battlefield medicine saves more lives than ever, doctors continue to struggle with the damage that follows once bleeding is controlled. Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington are now investigating whether zinc can help speed recovery from such devastating injuries.

Their 20-month study aims to develop a safe and effective way to use zinc to protect and regenerate muscle tissue damaged by trauma. The study, led by Zui Pan, professor of graduate nursing at UT Arlington, focuses on reducing secondary muscle damage that occurs after the initial blast.

This kind of damage, caused by restricted blood flow, swelling, and infection, can destroy more tissue than the original wound. Pan explained that saving a soldier’s life often requires using a tourniquet or bandage to stop bleeding, but cutting off circulation can trigger severe ischemia, or loss of blood flow.

When blood rushes back, the sudden surge of oxygen can cause further harm to the tissue. She said the team’s goal is to find ways to limit this secondary destruction while promoting healing. The research team also includes bioengineering professors Jun Liao and Yi Hong, and assistant research professor Yingjie Liu from UTA’s Bone-Muscle Research Center.

Liu is part of the university’s RISE 100 initiative, which supports interdisciplinary scientific work. Testing zinc’s healing role Zinc is known to play a role in muscle repair, but Pan said it must be carefully dosed to avoid toxicity. The team plans to test a zinc-infused gel called gelatin methacryloyl, an FDA-approved material, to study how it promotes muscle regeneration following blast injuries.

The research is part of the UT System’s Trauma Research and Combat Casualty Care Collaborative (TRC4), which aims to improve trauma treatment in both military and civilian settings. Beyond the battlefield Blast injuries are among the most common wounds in combat. A 2016 report by the Department of Veterans Affairs found that explosions caused 74 percent of all combat injuries between 2001 and 2011. Many soldiers face long-term disabilities and extended rehabilitation as a result.

The researchers believe their findings could eventually help not only soldiers but also civilians suffering from severe muscle trauma due to car accidents, sports injuries, or natural disasters. Pan said the team’s long-term goal is to find a safe and convenient way to apply zinc directly to muscle tissue, protecting it from ischemia-reperfusion injury and encouraging regeneration.

If successful, the project could lead to better outcomes for trauma survivors and represent an important step forward in both battlefield and emergency medicine.