Around 200 school students will learn how major open wounds are healed by bacteria when a world expert comes to Hull Royal Infirmary during National Pathology Week.

Professor Mat Hardman of the University of Hull, regarded as the world’s leading expert on using bacteria to heal wounds, will outline his work to students aged 14 and over during the 90-minute interactive demonstration.

The event for schools will be held at the Lecture Theatre in the Medical Education Centre at Hull Royal Infirmary on Wednesday, November 6, to give young people an insight into the importance of pathology in health care.

Professor Hardman has more than 20 years’ experience in the field of skin biology and works with Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to benefit patients through his research and wound healing group.

He will help student see how bacteria can co-exist alongside humankind and what happens to the skin, the largest organ in the body, when an imbalance occurs.

Chris Chase, the trust’s Pathology Training Manager, said: “This is not for the overly squeamish, which is why we’ve restricted the event to the over 14s, but we think students will be fascinated by Professor Hardman’s work.

“They will see how bacteria is used to create a film across the wound to stop more infection getting in. It’s actually infecting the wound in a controlled way to create a crust over it to allow it to heal.

“Professor Hardman’s work is at the forefront of technology and it’s fantastic that young people will get to see a world expert carrying out this amazing work in their own city.”

Schools including St Mary’s Academy, Newland School for Girls, Hymers and Aspire Academy, which serves vulnerable students within Hull and the East Riding, and Sixth Form Colleges Wyke and Wilberforce will be invited to send students to the afternoon session.