News & Events / News / Articles / Ameer Lab PostDocs Receive Prestigious AHA Awards
Dr. Robert van Lith and Dr. Jisheng Xiao, both postdoctoral associates working with Professor Guillermo Ameer, will receive highly competitive and prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowships from the American Heart Association (AHA).
Dr. van Lith receives the award for his proposal "Bioresorbable and customizable antioxidant drug-eluting stents". Blocked arteries are typically treated by angioplasty in combination with stent placement. Ongoing problems associated with current metal stents have recently prompted the development of bioresorbable stents. However, bioresorbable stents can cause oxidative stress and are not customizable. Dr. van Lith's project aims to combine a UV-curable, antioxidant, elastomeric polymer based on citric acid with projection microstereolithography to 3D print completely customizable degradable stents. With patient-specific options as well as potential on-the-spot printing, the resulting next generation stent is expected to have improved outcomes and lead to reduced healthcare costs.
Dr. Xiao receives the award for his proposal "Stable copper metal organic frameworks for the treatment of ischemic diseases”. Peripheral vascular disease is one of the most prevalent vascular diseases in the U.S. and can potentially lead to critical limb ischemia (CLI) and limb amputation. A substantial portion of patients with CLI cannot undergo typical endovascular or surgical revascularization therapy, while many alternative strategies such as gene or stem cell therapy have been shown to be safe but not efficacious. Dr. Xiao proposes a more stable and biocompatible copper metal organic frameworks (CMOF) as a novel platform for the treatment of ischemic diseases. Once established, CMOF can provide an alternative for currently used CLI therapy methods. With increased stability and decreased toxicity, CMOF is expected to have improved patency rate and lead to reduced patient morbidity and healthcare costs.