Currently burn wound pain management relies heavily on systemic administration of opioids, including morphine, which often result in a number of adverse side effects such as addiction. Therefore, a topical administration of morphine directly to the wound site would reduce the total opioid usage and central nervous system mediated side effects. Recent studies have also suggested that opioids may play a beneficial role in wound healing by stimulating angiogenesis and increases keratinocyte migration. In order to provide local delivery of morphine, the opioid can be loaded into a biomaterial such a keratin, a strong filamentous protein found in human hair. When rehydrated with a morphine solution, keratin spontaneously forms a hydrogel capable of controlled and sustained release to a burn wound. Ten partial-thickness burns were created using a 100°C heated 5 cm square brass block applied to the dorsum of an anesthetized Yorkshire swine. Two days post injury, pigs were re-anesthetized, necrotic tissue was debrided, bleeding was stopped, and respective treatments were applied and dressed. Keratin hydrogels loaded with 0, 1, 5, or 10mg/mL of morphine were compared to no treatment and non-injured physiological controls. Biopsy and blood samples were collected on post burn days 4, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28 and processed for histology and cytokine panel analysis prior to reapplication of treatments. To investigate neovasculature, laser Doppler imaging was used to detect changes in perfusion, and immunohistochemical staining of CD31 was quantified for each time point. Histomorphologic scores were determined by a trained veterinary pathologist. A morphine ELISA was used to detect systemic levels of morphine while a porcine specific cytokine Luminex assay was used to measure local inflammatory markers. This study is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, Animal Welfare Regulations, and the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. Systemic morphine was not detected in the blood at any time point. Compared to the untreated control, all keratin hydrogels were able to reduce granulation tissue thickness which may result in decreased scar tissue. However, histomorphologic scores show a dose dependent positive correlation between morphine concentration and granulation tissue thickness. CD31 and cytokine analysis is ongoing. Initial findings suggest that topical application of morphine must be optimized to provide pain management without exacerbating granulation tissue formation. The objective of this study is to assess the effects of topically administered opioids on scarring/wound healing, in part through stimulation of angiogenesis and/or suppression of chronic inflammation at the wound site.