Research has long been an important part of surgical training at Jefferson. Current available laboratory space for research encompasses 4,900 square feet that includes a large animal operating room and tissue-culture facilities.
Projects in basic science and clinical research have included establishing ECMO capabilities at Jefferson to support critically ill neonates, developing hepatic resection and transplantation techniques, evaluating pancreatic islet-cell xenografting, exploring hyperthermia in cancer treatment and examining endothelial-cell, prosthetic-graft interactions.
The diverse interests of Jefferson's faculty allow for a multitude of cross-specialty protocols. Recent clinical research includes studies of multimodality therapy in pancreatic and colorectal carcinoma, preoperative chemotherapy in locally advanced breast carcinoma and the incidence and prevention of deep-vein thrombosis.
Current laboratory research projects include:
- Endothelial-cell and leukocyte migration under conditions of sheer stress
- Skeletal muscle biochemistry and function as it relates to myocardial assistance for failing hearts
- Abnormalities of lipid metabolism during gram-negative septic shock
- Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
- Pathobiology of arterial wall cells associated with various peripheral vascular disease states
- Endogenous mechanisms for regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the pancreatic islets
- Protection of the islets by osteopontin for islet transplantation
- Regulation of osteopontin by cytokines in insulin producing cells
- The role of the pancreatic renin angiotensin system (RAS) in type 1 diabetes
- Osteopontin role in type 1 diabetes
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