Clinical Research
Dr. Michael Eaton’s general area of interest is the interaction of cardiopulmonary bypass with human blood, and the minimization of the adverse effects of this interaction. This is of particular importance in pediatric and neonatal cardiac surgery, where available knowledge is significantly less and patients are at higher risk due to an immature hemostatic system and the greater degree of hemodilution involved. Currently Dr. Eaton is investigating exploring a novel combination anticoagulant strategy for cardiopulmonary bypass without heparin using closed loop cardiopulmonary bypass models. He has a clinical trial underway randomizing infants undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass to supplementation with antithrombin III or placebo. He is also completing a study investigating the ability of traditional tube-based ACT testing compared with cartridge-based ACT devices to measure thrombin generation during bypass.
Dr. Yang Gu’s research interest lies in understanding the interaction between environmental factors, physiological processes, and disease states, particularly within critical care medicine. Through a multidisciplinary approach integrating basic science, translational research, and clinical investigation, he aspires to contribute to developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies that address unmet needs in critical care settings. By elucidating the underlying mechanisms driving disease progression and treatment response, he seeks to advance our understanding of critical illness and pave the way for more effective interventions that enhance patient care and quality of life. He is passionate about investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying complex pathophysiological phenomena, such as hyperoxia, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses, to identify novel therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes. His current research focuses on the interaction between human physiologic systems and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). His long-term goals include the optimization of resuscitation for patients who require mechanical circulatory support via ECMO for acute cardiac failure or cardiac arrest.
Dr. Jacob Nadler is a clinician-scientist whose research interests focus on perioperative anesthesia-centered interventions to improve patient outcomes, particularly in the context of postoperative pulmonary complications, cancer resection surgeries, and pain management. Currently, he is collaborating on multiple prospective randomized clinical trials aimed at evaluating the efficacy of individualized perioperative anesthesia bundles, comparing different anesthetic agents, and assessing the effectiveness of intravenous versus enteric acetaminophen in surgical patients. He is an active member of the Perioperative Research Network (PRN) a group of researchers addressing critical issues within perioperative care. A new trial comparing the risks of perioperative pulmonary aspiration versus the systemic effects of nutritional depletion due to preoperative fasting will begin enrolling in 2024.
The Division of Critical Care Medicine has a 20 year history of research on Mechanical Ventilation, ARDS, and Lung Physiology Research. Dr. Peter Papadakos has been actively collaborating with investigators throughout the US and Europe on a number of multicenter funded projects. Over the last 2 years he and his colleagues have been investigating how mechanical ventilation impacts on atelectasis and Surfactant dysfunction. Basic science collaboration with Professor Dr. Burkhard Lachmann at the Charite of the University of Berlin is currently looking at Surfactant dysfunction in an animal model. The group is also looking at cytokine modulation in the lung and how it is affected by sedative agents. Dr. Papadakos is also working on several research projects with several national organizations such as the ASA and the AORN to improve human to technology interfacing and prevent electronic distraction.
Dr. Jacek Wojtczak’s research interests are focused on craniofacial phenotyping/upper airway imaging and biophysical mechanisms of lung B-lines. He is using new ultrasonic imaging techniques including compression elastography and acoustic radiation force imaging and he has also developed a new imaging technique - nanoparticle imaging. This technique allows quantification and monitoring of local anesthetic spread in tissues. He is collaborating with Dr. David Cattano (UT Houston) on the ultrasonic imaging of airway devices in situ and with Dr. Pavel Andruszkiewicz (University of Warsaw) on the prediction of unanticipated difficult airway and emergency airway procedures including ultrasound-guided
cricothyrotomy.