Disclosed are methods of favouring epithelial wound healing in a subject. Wounds suitable for this method include wounds located on the skin or in a cornea The methods comprise contacting a wound with an activator of an AKT pathway and/or an inhibitor of the MAPK pathway such as CREB inhibitors. Preferred compounds include SC-79, C646, curcumin, platelet-derived growth factor, 4′chloro-3-hydroxy-2-naphthanilide and fumonisin B. A model for wound healing is also disclosed. The model can be used to identify test compounds that are AKT activators or inhibitors of MAPK pathway, which are suitable to favoring epithelial wound healing.
