CT SECTION HIGHLIGHT: SPRING 2024
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is invested in innovative science through a broad range of research interests from genetic markers of aortic diseases to testing new surgical grafts to modeling heart failure in canine models. Our faculty support basic, clinical, and translational laboratories to promote our mission of meaningful engagement in academia. Through our clinical research, we encompass not only adult cardiac and thoracic trials, but pediatric trials as well to cover both spectrums of cardiac and thoracic diseases and treatments. Our diverse areas of scientific endeavors are accessible to our trainees, research fellows, graduate students, and faculty.
We have several faculty members that have recently been awarded grant funding and other awards!
Adult Cardio
- Craig Selzman MD was one of three pilot seed grants awarded by CTRM (Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine) for his project, “Development of shelf-stable, lyophilized acellular human amniotic fluid for the treatment of clinical disease”. This is a one-year seed grant and was awarded the top amount of $66,500. These awards aim to pave the way from cellular therapy and regenerative medicine to transformative treatments for patients.
Translational
- Ademuyiwa Aromolaran FAHA, FHRS, PhD is a Co-I on a R25 NIH 2024 awarded grant (Short-Term Research Education Program to Enhance Diversity in Health-Related Research) with Dr. Sara Franklin, titled “RUUTEs: Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) for Minorities.” The RUUTE (Rural and Underserved Utah Training Experience) program, established in 2018 to extend health sciences resources to the underserved communities throughout Intermountain West. SURE is a newer initiative and through this grant, will focus on the development of a 10 week summer program focusing on NHLBI mission areas, with the incorporation of education series, development, and mentoring opportunities.
- Hongchou Guo, PhD and Derek Dosdall, PhD/Craig Selzman, MD were both awarded a Nora Eccles Treadwell Foundation (NETF) award.
- Derek Dosdall, PhD is a Co-I on a RO1 NIH 2024 awarded grant with Dr. Robin Shaw, titled “Novel Gene Therapy for Chronic Ischemic Heart Failure”. Heart failure is a major syndrome and few therapies directly target failing heart muscles. The objective of this grant is to test a gene therapy in a large animal model of ischemic heart failure. PIs will explore effectiveness of this type of therapy in a pre-clinical setting in the hopes to be one step closer to clinical application.
Thoracic
- Brian Mitzman, MD MSCI, FACS, FCCP was named Editor of the Year for the Annals of Thoracic Surgery in February 2024!
In Fall 2022, the division started a research series meeting where faculty would have a space to converse and present their proposal ideas, gain feedback on grant submissions, and hear about the various types of research being conducted within our division. Guest speakers have included faculty from Transplant, Anesthesiology, and Emergency Medicine. Presenters have the opportunity to hear from distinguished staff, some of whom serve on NIH review boards, on how they may improve their science and methods approach. Meeting twice a month, with a short pause in the summer, each meeting consists of one translational and one clinical research presentation, allowing for interest for everyone in attendance.
Graduate students and doctoral students also have the opportunity to gain experience in presenting their research. As part of the curriculum of the Master of Science in Cardiovascular Perfusion program, students are required to prepare and present a research project during the series in the spring. Not only is this a unique opportunity for our young and upcoming professionals to gain experience in oral presentations, both in presenting the material and fielding questions, they can present to a diverse audience outside of their discipline.
PHOTOS: Ian Nickle, MD on “Human Amniotic Fluid and global Myocardial Ischemia Protection”; Perfusion Student Presentation: Brittan L O’Rullian on “Negative Outcomes Associated with PRP use on Bronchial Anastomoses of BOLT Procedures"