McGowan Institute?
July 2006 | VOL. 5, NO. 7 | www.McGowan.pitt.edu
All have been saddened by the death of Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan. “Father Joe” was the Chairman of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, the patriarch of the family from which we derive our name and support, and a close friend. While we morn his passing, it is also appropriate to celebrate his achievements.
The Reverend John A. Walsh delivered the homily at Monsignor McGowan's funeral mass on July 24, 2006 and described the Monsignor as “astonishing”. As we look at the wide, diverse and substantial impact that the Monsignor had it is easy to agree with Reverend Walsh.
Monsignor McGowan's sharp mind helped steer and advise many education, healthcare and social service organizations; his influence was as wide-ranging as his humor. While we will long remember his keen whit, it is his leadership and his sprit that will be the enduring legacy of Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan. Please keep his family in your prayers.
July marks the fifth anniversary of the McGowan Institute. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thanks and appreciation for the sincere and substantial contributions of our Team that has resulted in the sustained growth and maturation of the Institute. The visibility of Regenerative Medicine is rapidly growing, as well as the role that the McGowan Institute is playing to advance the science and clinical translation of new regenerative technologies. Pittsburgh continues to have increased visibility as a destination for regenerative medicine research and we are also working to make Pittsburgh the destination of choice for regenerative therapies.
Our collective commitment remains to advance the sciences related to regenerative therapies, to train scientists and engineers to pursue technologies related to regenerative medicine, and train a generation of clinicians in the implementation of regenerative therapies.
The Institute has grown to 215 faculty and over 1,000 students and staff. I look forward to another exciting year of advances in science and progress in the movement of our emerging technologies to clinical/commercial use. As noted above, our progress is directly attributable to all of the McGowan Team; I trust that next year we will collectively be able to look back and say that we have made more progress along this road that we are traveling together.
Thanks and Best Wishes for Continued Success!
Sincerely,
Alan J. Russell, Ph.D.
Editors Note: The synopsis of Team Pittsburgh’s participation in the 2006 Transplant Games in Louisville was prepared by Shelley Zomak, Co-manager of Team Pittsburgh.
The 2006 Transplant Games in Louisville, KY have seen the flame lit and extinguished in just 4 short days. Team Pittsburgh represented the Western portion of PA (from State College) and 13 counties in WV. The Team is comprised of 50 athletes, 8 donor families and 6 living donors as well as numerous supporters. Centers represented on our team include UPMC, AGH, Cleveland Clinic, Strong Memorial, and Hershey.
Our team received many awards and another exciting moment came when they announced the 2008 Transplant Games site will be in Pittsburgh on July 11-16, 2008. Judi Vensak and I gladly accepted the Transplant Games flag from the Kentucky managers. We are anxious for everyone in Pittsburgh to experience this opportunity that has touched our lives so much.
Please check our website www.teampittsburgh.org to keep up on Team Pittsburgh activities. And we hope to see everyone at opening ceremonies in 2008.
If you are a transplant recipient, living donor or donor family please contact me to find out how you can be part of the 2008 Transplant Games. To read Shelley’s summary of Team Pittsburgh at the 2006 Transplant Games, please click here.
A collaborative project between UPMC Corporate Communications and the Institute has resulted in the introduction of a new patient-focused web site. The increasing levels of patient-related inquiries that were received through www.mcgowan.pitt.edu, which is more research-focused, demonstrated the need for a web site that was designed to introduce patients to the status and the clinical availability of regenerative medicine technologies. The new site was unveiled in the past week and is already receiving positive feedback. The current McGowan Institute web site is currently being reformatted to have a look and feel similar to the new patient site, which can be found at http://mcgowaninstitute.upmc.com.
Charles Sfeir DDS, PhD, Director, Center for Craniofacial Regeneration, and Assistant Professor School of Dental Medicine and McGowan Institute is the recipient of an Independent Scientist Award (K02) entitled Proteomics and Biomineralization of Dentin funded bythe NIH. This award is designed to support career development and Dr. Sfeir’s studies will address proteinassisted biomineralization.
The role of post-translational modifications of extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) and its impact on mineral formation will be the focus of this research. This study is to be conducted in coordination with Dr. Sfeir’s R01 "Dentin Biomineralization" which involves the determination of the difference in phosphorylation patterns and sites of exon 5 of Dentin Matrix Protein 3. By analyzing recombinantly produced phosphophoryn (PP) as well as purified PP from stably transfected non-mineralizing cells (NIH3T3) and cells that have the capability to mineralize (MC3T3-E1 and DPC-23), Dr. Sfeir hopes to gain more insight into these mechanisms and how post- translational modification impacts mineral formation.
In addition to his research, Dr. Sfeir plans to offer proteomics courses and intensive workshops and hands on experiments in collaborator and core facility laboratories. The courses and workshops will address sample preparation, running samples on MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS/MS and sample analysis. In the area of mineral characterization he will offer tutorials on the necessary equipment (x-ray diffraction, FTIR, SEM, TEM and EDAX), courses in Materials Sciences and Engineering focused on ceramics, and workshops, and sample analysis sessions. Grant Number: 1K02DE016900-01A1
The American Journal of Pathology featured the paper “Mouse Fetal Liver Cells in Artificial Capillary Beds in Three-Dimensional Four-Compartment Bioreactors” on the cover of the November 2005 issue. The paper was authored by Satdarshan P.S. Monga, Mariah S. Hout, Matt J. Baun, Amanda Micsenyi, Peggy Muller, Lekha Tummalapalli, Aarati R. Ranade,§ Jian-Hua Luo, Stephen C. Strom, and Joerg C. Gerlach.
The journal cover featured the hollow-fiber bioreactor used for the studies and histological characterization of cells observed in the study. While bioreactors containing porcine or adult human hepatocytes have been used to sustain acute liver failure patients until liver transplantation, prolonged function of adult hepatocytes has not been achieved due to compromised proliferation and viability of adult cells in vitro. The study investigated the use of fetal mouse hepatocytes as an alternative cell source in bioreactors. It was demonstrated that mouse fetal liver cells can survive, proliferate, differentiate, and function in a three-dimensional perfusion culture system while maintaining a progenitor pool, reflecting an important advance in hepatic tissue engineering. (Am J Pathol 2005, 167:1279–1292)
Dr. Badylak has received a $96,000 study funded by the University of Limerick entitled “Non-Clinical Laboratory Study for the Evaluation of Novel Vascular Graft Devices (Prolong I and II) in an Ovine Model”. The study will assess the effectiveness of a new carotid artery replacement technique utilizing a modified form of Dacron that has a unique design intended to reduce thrombosis and hyperplasia.
Under the leadership of Dr. Brad Keller, the Department of Pediatrics-Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh has initiated a new program addressing Pediatric Innovative Biomedical Technology Development. In this role Dr. Keller will facilitate the development of innovative technologies by investigators in Pediatrics through interactions within the biomedical research community of University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, CMU and potential industry sponsors within and outside the region.
In order to pursue this new program and dedicate more time to his research laboratory, Dr. Keller has elected to step down as Chief of the Division of Cardiology as of July 5, 2006.
In making this announcement, Dr. David Perlmutter, Vira I. Heinz Professor and Chairman of Pediatrics congratulated Dr. Keller for his leadership of the Division of Cardiology that has successfully transitioned to the more specialized needs of modern tertiary pediatric cardiac practice including the development of the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and expansion of cardiac intervention, electrophysiology, echocardiography, transplant and basic science research programs. Dr. Steve Webber will be the new Chief of the Division of Cardiology.
The NSF has issued a five-year, $15 million grant to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh to create an engineering research center that will focus on technologies to enable the elderly and disabled to live more independent and productive lives. Scientists at the Quality of Life Technology Engineering Research Center (QoLT ERC) will establish a base of knowledge that will support the creation of intelligent systems, such as a device a person could wear, a mobile system that can be ridden, or an environment furnished with devices to keep track of the health and activity levels of people living alone.
The center will also try to improve current assistive technologies, such as wheelchairs, and could develop systems to prolong the age at which the elderly can safely drive. The activities of the center will expand on recent research in the fields of robotics, machine perception, learning, and communication. The center will seek to develop the technologies to address the challenges of a population swelling with the ranks of the elderly and disabled. "The purpose of our new center is to foster independence and self-determination among older adults and people with disabilities," said Takeo Kanade, Carnegie Mellon professor of computer science and robotics and co-chair of the center. "If the technology we 
develop at the QoLT ERC can delay the need to send people from their homes to assisted-living or nursing facilities by even one month, we can save our nation $1.2 billion annually.
We need to apply the same ingenuity that we've used for military, space, and manufacturing applications to improve the human condition." The center will also be mindful of accessibility and user-acceptance issues, says Rory Cooper, professor of rehabilitation science and technology, and McGowan Faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh and the center's other co-chair.
The Regenerative Medicine Podcasts continue to be well received. There have been over 2,500 downloads to date. The most recent podcasts are:
Professor Jöns Hilborn- Department of Materials Chemistry at Sweden's Uppsala University and Dr. Martin of the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland. Both are experts in bone tissue engineering. |
Visit www.regenerativemedicinetoday.com to keep abreast of the new interviews.
Based on the requests of faculty and graduate students for more and different types of networking sessions, the Moleculart project will continue in the Fall term. Our goal is to have a scientific gathering that fosters networking in a different environment. Please save the dates and join us on October 3rd and December 6th; Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM; Place: S-100 BST. For the October 3rd session, we look forward to enjoying the contributions of the Center for Biological Imaging.
You are cordially invited to the . . .
| McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine’s Picnic | |
| When: | Friday, August 18th |
| 2:00pm – 6:00pm | |
| Where: | Bridgeside Point (Cellomics) 1st Floor, Rear Patio |
| (100 Technology Drive) | |
| A *lavish* array of typical barbeque food and drink will be served. | |
RSVP by August 6th to Laurie at 235.5109 or madeyalm@upmc.edu
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Publication of the Month
Publication of the Month | July 2006 |
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| Author(s) | Paul V. Kochupura, MD; Evren U. Azeloglu, MS; Damon J. Kelly, MS; Sergey V. Doronin, PhD; Stephen F. Badylak, MD, PhD, DVM; Irvin B. Krukenkamp, MD; Ira S. Cohen, MD, PhD; Glenn R. Gaudette, PhD From the Departments of Surgery (P.V.K., I.B.K., G.R.G.) and Biomedical Engineering (E.U.A., D.J.K., I.B.K., G.R.G.), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York; the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine (S.F.B.), Pittsburgh, Pa; the Institute of Molecular Cardiology (S.V.D., I.B.K., I.S.C., G.R.G.), Stony Brook, New York; and the Department of Surgery (G.R.G.), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass. |
| Title | |
| Summary | Background—Extracellular matrix (ECM), a tissue-engineered scaffold, recently demonstrated cardiomyocyte population after myocardial implantation. Surgical restoration of myocardium frequently uses Dacron as a myocardial patch. We hypothesized that an ECM-derived myocardial patch would provide a mechanical benefit not seen with Dacron. Methods and Results—Using a canine model, a full thickness defect in the right ventricle was repaired with either Dacron or ECM. A third group had no surgery and determined baseline RV function. Eight weeks later, global systolic function was assessed by the preload recruitable stroke work relationship. Regional systolic function was measured by systolic area contraction (SAC), calculated by high density mechanical mapping. Tau was used to assess global diastolic function. Recoil rate and diastolic shear were used as measures of regional diastolic function. After functional data acquisition, tissue was fixed for histological evaluation. Global systolic and diastolic functions were similar at baseline and after ECM and Dacron implantation. Regional systolic function was greater in the ECM group compared with the Dacron group. Regional diastolic function was also greater in the ECM. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed cardiomyocytes in the ECM implant region, a finding not seen with Dacron. Conclusion—At 8 weeks, an ECM-derived tissue-engineered myocardial patch provides regional mechanical function, likely related to cardiomyocyte population. These results are in sharp contrast to Dacron, a commonly used myocardial patch. |
| Source | Circulation. 2005;112 [suppl I]:I-144–I-149. |
Grant of the Month
Grant of the Month | July 2006 |
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| PI | William R. Wagner |
| Title | Cardiopulmonary Organ Engineering |
| Description | The aim of this proposal is to design solutions for vascular, cardiac, and pulmonary organ failure by building interactive teams of researchers focused on specific aspects of cardiopulmonary organ engineering. Our efforts will address a tissue engineered blood vessel, and a myocardial patch. The assembled research teams will function as cores of expertise that address common tasks associated with each of the projects. Five research cores will be established in the following areas: 1) matrix synthesis and surface modification, For each of the organ projects we have design objectives (Specific Aims) that will be achieved in the five-year period of proposed work: 1) Tissue engineered blood vessel - A biological blood vessel will be developed that achieves long-term potency in the rat model and is subsequently evaluated in the porcine model. The blood vessel will be a "biological equivalent" to autologous arteries from a mechanical and biofunctional perspective. During vessel development in vitro, specific mechanical training protocols that have been optimized to direct appropriate cell differentiation and expression of matrix components will be employed. 2) Myocardial patch - A process will be developed that allows the reconstruction of functional myocardium in ischemic or dysfunctional regions of the heart, This process will be characterized by the seeding of stem cells onto a bioerodible thermoplastic elastomer which has been designed to micromechanically transmit appropriate stresses to the stem cells during an in vitro seeding period and after placement within the diseased myocardium. Vascularization of this implanted construct will be achieved by surgical placement of omental tissue atop the placed myocardial patch. |
| Source | Grant: 1R01HL069368-01A1 |
| Term | 07/01/03 - 06/30/08 |