Researchers will use fish in a ground-breaking study to help identify the genes that cause scarring.

A £1.5 million, five-year research programme, funded by The Scar Free Foundation and led by the University of Bristol, will include studies of the translucent zebrafish.

Live imaging and genetic analysis of the fish, which can regrow tissue and repair wounds rapidly, will be used to model healing and scar formation.

Researchers will also identify genetic differences and investigate the genetic make-up of scarring by analysing DNA data from large groups of people.

These include those with BCG vaccination scarring, children with cleft lip surgery, women with Caesarean section scarring and patients with internal lung scarring.

Paul Martin, professor of cell biology at the University of Bristol, said the project would provide a “unique opportunity to undertake world class research into the genetics of scarring”.

“The programme will enable us to marry up the fantastic population health cohort approaches that Bristol does so well, with our own wet lab experimental and cell biology studies in order to break new ground in scarring research,” Prof Martin said.

It is estimated that 20 million people in the UK have a scar.

Researchers say the findings of the research could be transformative for people both in the UK and across the world.

Brendan Eley, chief executive of the the Scar Free Foundation, said: “Scarring can cause long term emotional and physical problems including pain, itching and loss of movement, requiring the need for frequent operations, skin grafts, cream application multiple times a day and daily physiotherapy.

“We want to find ways of making life easier in the future for the millions of people living with scarring in the UK.”