Bruce Klitzman, PhD  CV

 

 

         

 

 

 

 

  

Tissue Engineering and Implantable Devices research in the Frank Hawkins Kenan Plastic Surgery Research Laboratories focuses in the following areas: 

 

Endothelial cells, the special cells that normally line the heart and all blood vessels, are being attached to vascular grafts to impart a more blood compatible surface. This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health. 

 

 

The failure of current implantable glucose sensors stems from the body's reaction to a foreign object. The sensors work for a limited number of days, but eventually the body tries to wall off the sensor making it detect changes in blood glucose less accurately. Duke researchers are studying the foreign body's response to understand how the body reacts and find ways to fool the body into being more accepting of the sensors. One way this is done is to pre-coat the sensors with the body's own adult stem cells. This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health. 

Glaucoma is the main cause of preventable blindness world-wide. Duke researchers have developed a new generation of glaucoma drainage devices, which have now received FDA approval. The devices are being implanted in patients. This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health. 

 

Coating implants with a special material that releases nitric oxide can improve their biocompatibility by increasing the formation of capillaries next to the implant. Another beneficial effect of the nitric oxide is that it helps the white cells kill any lingering bacteria. This is particularly helpful with bone plates used to stabilize severely fractured bones.  This project is funded by the National Institutes of Health.  

 

Doctoral training grant for the Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering 

Michael Hodavance, BS, Medical student and Howard Hughes Fellow

Bruce Klitzman, PhD, Associate Professor

Issei Komatsu, MD, Fellow

Nga Le, Biomedical Engineering PhD student

Gemma Lewis, Medical student and Bollinger Fellow

Scott Nichols, PhD student, UNC-Chapel Hill

Mark Schoenfisch, PhD, Associate Professor, UNC-Chapel Hill