Skin grafting has long served as a solution to both partial and full thickness defects of skin resulting from burn injury. However, split-thickness grafting commonly heals to an inflexible, cosmetically undesirable result distinct from natural skin. In cases of larger surface area burns, lack of donor skin can arrest reconstructive efforts and worsen patient outcomes. To address these problems, a series of innovative dermal regeneration templates were bioengineered, serving as artificial skin in early injury and acting as dermal scaffolds to promote cellular restoration of the wound bed and support subsequent grafting. The marriage of these templates and overlying negative pressure wound therapy has proven a powerful reconstructive tool, accelerating vascularization and reducing overall healing time.