A MEMBER of the Bradford Burns Unit team has graduated with a PhD from the city's university.

Dr Lucy Trevor has become the second 'David Sharpe Research fellow' from the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU) to achieve the honour from the University of Bradford, the first was Alan Jing Tay .

She received her accolade at a graduation ceremony held last week.

Dr Trevor said “I am extremely proud to have graduated with a PhD from the University of Bradford.

"I conducted novel and fascinating research at the Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU) which has gained worldwide interest.

"I have been able to do this with the support of the PSBRU charity which funds this important research in the memory of those harmed in the Bradford city fire disaster.

"I am grateful to the benefactors who have made this important research into wound healing take place and I hope to continue its development in the future.”

Professor Ajay Mahajan, consultant plastic surgeon and director of PSBRU, said: “I am very proud of Lucy for her tremendous achievement after having dedicated the last four years to research in our unit.

"We continue to be able to carry on with the work he had started with the support of the people of Bradford and I am grateful to everyone for that.

"This is indeed a proud moment for everyone who has supported our unit over the years.

"Although the pandemic has affected the work in our lab, we have continued with our work as best as we could and it great to see it through to fruition.”

Professor Julie Thornton, director of the Centre for Skin Sciences and Dr Trevor’s research supervisor, said: "Lucy is a talented and outstanding trainee plastic surgeon, who has shown exceptional commitment, dedication, and enthusiasm in developing her research into wound scarring to the level of a PhD degree.

"She has identified important changes in skin cells that have been subjected to radiation burns and has been able to grow these cells in the laboratory, which has never been done before.

"This research is continuing with the support of the PBSRU and will be important in developing new therapies to minimise the devastating effects of scarring.

"Lucy is one of our rising stars in this field and her research training in the PBSRU will provide a strong foundation to enhance her medical knowledge in the clinical setting to improve the quality of life for patients."