Dr. David Hackam and his lab are utilizing human stem cell technologies to tackle the leading cause of death and disability in premature infants, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), as well as other chronic intestinal conditions that affect children and adults. As the Chief of Pediatric Surgery at Johns Hopkins University and Surgeon-in-Chief of Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Dr. Hackam knows firsthand the complicated neonatal surgery and the devastating long-term effects that result from NEC.
NEC, a disease that affects up to a third of premature infants, leads to sudden death of parts of the intestine and the only available countermeasure for severe cases is the surgical removal of the damaged intestine. If the infant survives surgery, they are left with lifelong short bowel syndrome and decreased quality of life.
Dr. Hackam’s research focuses on using human stem cells to correct for the loss of intestine that results from NEC complications. His goal is not only to save lives but also to restore the quality of life of infants. He shares that the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund (MSCRF) “has been pivotal in helping advance this work.” He credits MSCRF for investing in his vision, “We were funded through the mechanism that essentially takes an idea, invests in the idea, and allows the investigator to deliver on the promise of that idea.”
Dr. Hackam and his team have converted his idea into pivotal research and development that will benefit patients suffering from chronic and life-threatening conditions in Maryland and worldwide.
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Dr. Hackam’s research uses induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cell technology to model intestinal diseases, aid in drug discovery and develop new therapeutics. The goal is to investigate key genes in human intestinal stem cells that regulate chronic intestinal conditions in patients of all ages.
The technology directs pluripotent stem cells, cells uniquely able to self-renew and become any type of cell, to become intestinal stem cells. They are then implanted into an animal model suffering from a similar intestinal condition. The genes of the implanted stem cells are studied looking for a genetic pattern responding to the disease. Dr. Hackam hopes identification of which genes turn on or off can develop targeted therapies to use one’s own stem cell properties to get disease clearance or relief. Learn more about his work in this video.
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Note: some photos and video in Johns Hopkins laboratories were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
26 окт 2024
