Thirty years of translational research: A personal perspective on gene-transferred porcine skin development

This perspective recounts a three-decade journey of developing gene-transferred porcine skin for burn wound coverage—from a chance encounter at a research symposium in 1997 to a nationally registered medical device now used in over 2000 annual treatments across 19 Chinese provinces. The narrative traces the key milestones: the conceptualization of adenoviral-mediated CTLA4Ig gene transfer into porcine skin, the pivotal support from academic mentors and funding agencies at municipal, national, and ministerial levels, regulatory approval in the early 2000s, and the ongoing evolution toward second- and third-generation multigene-edited products. Beyond the scientific and regulatory journey, this perspective highlights the enduring interdisciplinary collaboration between burn surgery and laboratory animal science, and reflects on the human dimensions—trust, mentorship, and friendship—that sustained a translational vision across three decades. I offer this account not only as a historical record but also as a case study in Chinese translational research, with lessons for future efforts aimed at bridging fundamental science and clinical application.