Research Resident Spotlight - May 2024
Paul Burchard, MD
PGY3
Tell us a little about your path to Surgery Residency.
My interest in surgery stemmed largely from my father, who was a trauma, acute care, and critical care surgeon. For my undergraduate degree at the University of Richmond, I pursued a BS in biology and minor in medical humanities, which included a semester abroad at the Danish Institute studying medical practice and policy. Following graduation, I spent two years in a molecular pathology lab at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Through this experience, I expanded my knowledge in basic science research and manuscript writing, and was fortunate to matriculate into West Virginia University School of Medicine. While in medical school, I solidified my surgical interest by completing a surgical externship between my first and second year. I was selected as a leader for the medical school's Surgery Interest Group, organizing multiple activities between medical students and surgical residency program at WVU. Following clinical rotations, I was inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society and was elected president of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. With my wife pursuing a career in pediatrics, we both matched and were thrilled to join the University of Rochester Medical Center for our training!
What was your motivation to pursue research during your residency?
During my first two clinical years in our general surgery program, I developed a keen interest in surgical oncology. There were multiple clinical aspects and biological characteristics of cancer patient care that I wanted to explore and understand further. I decided to join Dr. Linehan's lab because this offered me the opportunity to apply my basic sciences background and further pursue my career interest, while providing the foundation for understanding how to improve perioperative care.
Who is your research mentor?
David C. Linehan, MD
CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC),
Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD)
Senior Vice President for Health Sciences at the University of Rochester
Director, Center for Tumor Immunology and Research
Hernandez-Alejandro, MD
Chief of the Division of Transplantation
​Principal Investigator, Liver Transplant (LT) for Unresectable Colorectal Liver Metastasis (CRLM)
American Registry for Transplant Oncology (ARTx-Onc)
Brian A. Belt, MA, JD
Research Assistant Professor
Center Manager, Center for Tumor Immunology and Research
What does the role of mentorship in research mean to you?
Research mentors take on the unique task of unbiased guidance towards the career and personal goals we set forth as trainees. Often these goals change over the course of our research and strong mentors are able to adapt and maintain a positive influence. My mentors have all emphasized my growth as a researcher, clinician, and person during the three years I spent in the lab while becoming friends and colleagues throughout the process.
What is your research focus?
My research focused on targeting the highly treatment-resistant tumor microenvironment of cholangiocarcinoma by utilizing a novel agent that disrupts collagen-crosslinking to alter the tumor matrix. Through this project, we were able to reduce tumor stiffness and augment chemotherapeutic penetration to improve tumor control and survival in mouse models of cholangiocarcinoma. Notably, our efforts also shifted the immune cell composition to favor anti-tumor immunity and functionally disrupted immunosuppressive macrophage migration/invasion into the tumors, revealing another link between tumor stroma and immunity in cholangiocarcinoma.
What are your recent presentations/awards/manuscripts?
Awards:
University of Rochester Department of Surgery 4th Annual Research Symposium
- First Place in Basic Science, Spring 2024
Medical Faculty Council Travel Award in Basic Science Research, Spring 2022 Department of Surgery, Dr. James T. Adams Distinguished Intern Award, 2018-2019 Department of Surgery, Burn Surgery Resident of the Year Award, 2018-2019
Publications:
Ullman, N. A., Burchard, P. R., Dunne, R. F., & Linehan, D. C. (2022). Immunologic Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer: Making Cold Tumors Hot. Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 40(24), 2789–2805. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.21.02616
Burchard, P. R., Melucci, A. D., Lynch, O., Loria, A., Dave, Y. A., Strawderman, M., Schoeniger, L. O., Galka, E., Moalem, J., & Linehan, D. C. (2022). Intrathecal Morphine and Effect on Opioid Consumption and Functional Recovery after Pancreaticoduodenectomy. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 235(3), 392–400. https://doi.org/10.1097/XCS.0000000000000261
Burchard, P. R., Lay, R., Ruffolo, L. I., Ramazani, S. N., Walton, J. M., & Livingston, M. H. (2022). Glycerin Suppositories and Enemas in Premature Infants: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics, 149(4), e2021053413. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-053413
Burchard, P. R., Dave, Y. A., Loria, A. P., Parikh, N. B., Pineda-Solis, K., Ruffolo, L. I., Strawderman, M., Schoeniger, L. O., Galka, E., Tomiyama, K., Orloff, M. S., Carpizo, D. R., Linehan, D. C., & Hernandez-Alejandro, R. (2022). Early postoperative ERAS compliance predicts decreased length of stay and complications following liver resection. HPB : the official journal of the International Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association, 24(9), 1425–1432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hpb.2022.01.008
Pineda-Solis, K., Burchard, P. R., Ruffolo, L. I., Schoeniger, L. O., Linehan, D. C., Moalem, J., & Galka, E. (2021). Early Prediction of Length of Stay After Pancreaticoduodenectomy. The Journal of surgical research, 260, 499–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2020.11.060
Publications Under Review:
Paul R. Burchard, Luis I. Ruffolo, Nicholas A. Ullman, Benjamin S. Dale, Yatee A. Dave, Bailey K. Hilty, Jian Ye, Mary Georger, Rachel Jewell, Christine Miller, Luis De Las Casas, Wolfgang Jarolimek, Lara Perryman, Matthew M. Byrne, Anthony Loria, Bailey K. Hilty, Chelsea Marin, Mariana Chavez Villa, Jen Jen Yeh, Brian A. Belt, David C. Linehan, Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro. Pan-Lysyl Oxidase Inhibition Disrupts Fibroinflammatory Tumor Strama Rendering Cholangiocarcinoma Susceptible to Chemotherapy.
Book Chapters Under Review:
Paul R. Burchard, Richard D. Schulick, David C. Linehan. Surgical Considerations in Cancer Patients. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery (22nd Edition), 2025.
Presentations:
Society of Surgical Oncology, 2023: Oral Presentation - Pan-Lysyl Oxidase Inhibition Disrupts Macrophage Invasion and Renders Tumor Associated Macrophages Susceptible to Cytotoxic Chemotherapy in Cholangiocarcinoma
Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, 2023: Oral Presentation - PREOPERATIVE THERAPY CONFERS SURVIVAL ADVANTAGE IN EARLY-STAGE PANCREATIC CANCER
Society of Surgical Oncology, 2022: Oral Presentation - Combination Therapy of PXS-5505 with 5-FU and Oxaliplatin Reduces Myeloid Suppression and Improves Overall Survival in Murine Cholangiocarcinoma - A Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Clinical Translation
Society of Surgical Oncology, 2021: Oral Presentation - Cox-2 Expression is Associated with Poor Disease-Free and Overall Survival in Cholangiocarcinoma - A Potential Target for Intervention
American College of Surgeons, Clinical Congress 2021: Oral Presentation - lntrathecal Morphine Decreases Narcotic Requirements And Is Associated With Shortened Length Of Stay Following Pancreaticoduodenectomy
Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, 2021: Oral Presentation - Should Systemic Therapy Be Standard of Care for Early-Stage Pancreatic Acincar Cell Carcinoma?
What are your future goals?
I am looking forward to the publication of my basic science research project that was the result of my 3 years in Dr. Linehan's lab as well as my upcoming surgical oncology fellowship application. I would like to pursue a career in surgical oncology that will combine university and community practice to provide a conduit for surgical care in cancer patients.