1. Nicholas Pashos
  2. http://www.igert.org/profiles/5223
  3. Graduate Student
  4. Presenter’s IGERT
  5. Tulane University
  1. Derek Dashti
  2. http://www.igert.org/profiles/5365
  3. Graduate Student
  4. Presenter’s IGERT
  5. Tulane University
  1. Karolina Kosakowska
  2. http://www.igert.org/profiles/5335
  3. Graduate Student
  4. Presenter’s IGERT
  5. Tulane University
Judges’ Queries and Presenter’s Replies
  • Icon for: Jerome Baudry

    Jerome Baudry

    Judge
    Faculty: Project Co-PI
    May 20, 2013 | 03:59 p.m.

    Hello, how has the IGERT mechanism helped in your research, and can you describe briefly how these projects will be continued in the next few year, what are your future directions?

  • Icon for: Nicholas Pashos

    Nicholas Pashos

    Lead Presenter
    May 21, 2013 | 08:56 a.m.

    Dear Dr. Baudry,

    IGERT has given us an interdisciplinary approach to our research that is not just focused on the aspect of pure biomedical science, but also its applied utility. It has encouraged us to seek for translational ideas to implement our research in a pragmatic market. Thus, IGERT has not just only emphasized in purely scientific ideals, but also has us thinking about our research in a practical sense for an entrepreneurial/business realm.

    In the near future, through the IGERT program our understanding of translational research on the regulatory side will substantially be helped through the summer externship at the FDA located in Silver Spring, MD— for which our first cohort is currently in the process of moving to DC for. This aspect of our IGERT program will allow us to gain a very unique perspective of translational medicine, that could potentially be applied to our approaches to research.

    We hope these two research projects in regenerative medicine can feasibly be translated into a hospital setting/biotech market. Much of the science in these projects is predicated upon figuring out the translational aspects and thus the major future direction (besides just understanding the basic science) is figuring out how the scientific technology in the projects can be implemented into a utilizable market. This requires basic science research such as further analyzing cells on biological or synthetic materials, but also further research into viable clinical trials, regulatory processes, and future market for regenerative medicine.

    Thank you for taking the time to view our project.

  • Icon for: Govindarajan Ramesh

    Govindarajan Ramesh

    Judge
    Faculty
    May 21, 2013 | 10:59 a.m.

    Hi!
    What is the scaffold made up of?
    Is it biocompatible?

  • Icon for: Nicholas Pashos

    Nicholas Pashos

    Lead Presenter
    May 21, 2013 | 07:16 p.m.

    Dear Dr. Ramesh,

    The scaffolds are biocompatible. A decellularized lung matrix is used as the scaffold for the lung regeneration project; and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), polyurethane and a couple other biomaterials are currently be assessed for use as scaffolds for the esophagus regeneration project.

    Thank you for taking your time to view our poster and video.

  • Icon for: Markus Seeliger

    Markus Seeliger

    Judge
    Faculty: Project Co-PI
    May 21, 2013 | 12:41 p.m.

    As part of your training program, do you interact with clinicians?

  • Icon for: Nicholas Pashos

    Nicholas Pashos

    Lead Presenter
    May 21, 2013 | 07:37 p.m.

    Dear Dr. Seeliger,

    Yes, we do have interactions with clinicians. The interdisciplinary nature of our program allows for us to take classes at the School of Science and Engineering, School of Medicine and at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Additionally, all of the Tulane IGERT Bioinnovation Fellows have projects with a translational value focus, usually entailing a collaboration with a clinician. Both of the projects, lung and esophagus regeneration, described in our poster and video, are located at the School of Medicine allowing for collaborations and interactions with physicians. Through our coursework, the translational component of our program, and the location of our research projects our training program encourages interactions with not only clinicians but also lawyers, law students, engineers, medical students and entrepreneurs.

    Thank you for your question and viewing our project!

  • Icon for: Zhaomin Yang

    Zhaomin Yang

    Judge
    Faculty
    May 21, 2013 | 08:46 p.m.

    What is the number of new patients each year waiting for lung transplant in the US and has the trend changed in recent years?

  • Icon for: Nicholas Pashos

    Nicholas Pashos

    Lead Presenter
    May 21, 2013 | 11:41 p.m.

    Dear Dr. Yang,

    According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network there has been a growing trend since 2005 of new patients being added to the lung transplant list who are in need of a donor lung. In 2011 there were approximately 2,200 new patients added; compared to the approximate 1,300 in 2005. Additionally, the number of lung donors is not increasing at the same rate as patients being added to the wait list; resulting in a higher demand than available supply of donor lungs.

    Dr. Yang, thank you very much for taking your time to watch our video and read through our poster.

  • Icon for: Kristin Hager

    Kristin Hager

    Judge
    Partner: Outreach
    May 21, 2013 | 09:38 p.m.

    Does the IGERT program include work with bioethicists’ and with patent lawyers since this appears to be a “breakthrough” technology that could be scaled up?

  • Icon for: Nicholas Pashos

    Nicholas Pashos

    Lead Presenter
    May 22, 2013 | 11:42 a.m.

    Dear Dr. Hager,
    Yes, some of the research projects that our Fellows are pursing had/ currently are involved with patent lawyers. The Bioinnovation IGERT program also encourages us to take an Intellectual Property course, offered through the Tulane Law School, taught by a lawyer. Additionally, through our entrepreneurship coursework during the winter term, we had an opportunity to have a Q&A with a lawyer from our university’s technology transfer office.

    It is interesting you should ask about bioethics and its role in our program. This has actually been a buzz topic around our program. Bioethics is supposed to be incorporated into our graduate training during our summer externships at the FDA this summer (starting May 27th). The three of us Fellows, the inaugural class of the IGERT Bioinnovation Program, are very much looking forward to the opportunity of working at the FDA, further learning and exploring topics like regulatory and bioethics.

    Thank you for taking your time to ask us questions about our program.

Presentation Discussion
  • Laurie Lenz

    Guest
    May 21, 2013 | 09:15 p.m.

    Wicked cool research!

  • Further posting is closed as the event has ended.