Basic Sciences
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery has an outstanding
research program, both in basic sciences and clinical/translational
investigation. The Division faculty
includes two full-time basic science researchers, Drs. Xianzhong Meng and
Anirban Banerjee, who oversee our approximately 6,200 s/f of wet-bench basic
science laboratory space in our Division.
Both of these researchers are independently funded through the NIH and they
facilitate the conduct of basic science research for physician faculty in the
Division. Dr. Meng conducts research in
the mechanisms of cardiac mechanical dysfunction. He has formed a signal
transduction core to determine the role of receptor signaling in post-injury
cellular inflammatory response. Dr.
Banerjee directs the Trauma Research Center and their work focuses on NMR
energetics, cardiac ischemia-reperfusion, preconditioning, and
inflammatory kinase signaling. Other basic sciences research
projects in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery include:
·
The
mechanisms of gastroduodenal reflux-induced histological changes in esophageal
morphology
·
The
pathogenesis of calcific aortic stenosis
·
The role of
Toll-like receptors in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion
·
The
mechanisms of macrophage differentiation into foam cells and dendritic cells
·
Solid organ
preservation through heme oxygenase-1
·
Mechanisms
of spinal cord dysfunction following ischemia/reperfusion
·
Age-related
changes in myocardial function
·
Genetic
markers of aortopathology
·
The role of
sPLA2 in lung and esophageal cancer
Clinical/Translational
Research
Faculty in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery play an
active role in clinical/translational research at the University of Colorado
School of Medicine. Current clinical
trial programs include:
·
PARTNER Trial of TAVR vs. Surgical AVR
·
RADIANT Trial – a phase 3 study of non-small
cell lung carcinoma
·
NOVEL Trial – XVIVO lung perfusion for lung transplantation
·
HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device for
Destination Therapy
·
SWOG-CALGB – a phase 3 trial of lobectomy vs.
sublobar resection
Surgical Research
Training
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery has established a
significant research infrastructure to support and facilitate the wide range of
research areas and projects as identified above. As a result, the Division is able to provide
opportunities for surgery residents, medical students, and others, to
participate in research activities in a variety of different subject areas. Surgery residents and students participating
in research activities are not only recognized as important resources in the
design and conduct of the research, but also add new and unique viewpoints to
the research projects. An important benefit
of the Division’s research endeavors arises from the synergy of combining
research training with surgical education.
The Trauma Research Center is a collaborative effort
between the Department of Surgery at the University of Colorado, Denver Health Medical
Center, and the Belle Bonfils Blood Center at the University of Colorado.
The focus of the Trauma Research Center is on the mechanisms of post-traumatic
inflammation leading to potential therapy.
Dr.
Anirban Banerjee is the P.I. of the Center and has directed this research
program since 1986. His research, and
that of the Center, focuses on NMR energetics, cardiac ischemia-reperfusion, preconditioning,
and inflammatory kinase signaling. The research conducted under the
auspices of the Trauma Research Center has strengthened surgical research
training and led to the development of a strong suite of accessible techniques,
particularly in digital fluorescent microscopy.