Grants We Funded
Grant applicants for the 2023 cycle requested a total of nearly $4 million dollars. The PSF Study Section Subcommittees of Basic & Translational Research and Clinical Research evaluated nearly 140 grant applications on the following topics:
The PSF awarded research grants totaling over $1 million dollars to support nearly 30 plastic surgery research proposals.
ASPS/PSF leadership is committed to continuing to provide high levels of investigator-initiated research support to ensure that plastic surgeons have the needed research resources to be pioneers and innovators in advancing the practice of medicine.
Research Abstracts
Search The PSF database to have easy access to full-text grant abstracts from past PSF-funded research projects 2003 to present. All abstracts are the work of the Principal Investigators and were retrieved from their PSF grant applications. Several different filters may be applied to locate abstracts specific to a particular focus area or PSF funding mechanism.
PEG-pDHA Hydrogrels: A Novel Topical Hemostatic Agent
Jason Spector MD
2008
Weill Cornell Medical College
Basic Research Grant
Technology Based
Achieving hemostasis during surgery is vital to a successful outcome. In cosmetic surgery even small amounts of extravasated blood can lead to increased bruising, pain and excessive swelling producing sUboptimal outcomes. Currently available topical hemostatic products such as Tisseal TM are limited in their applicability as a result of their significant cost and potential to transmit infectious disease or cause allergic reaction. Clearly, the development of a safe, effective, and inexpensive topical hemostatic agent would be a significant clinical advance and improve cosmetic surgical outcomes. Furthermore this work promises significant benefit to many areas beyond cosmetic surgery, including reconstruction, surgical oncology, and trauma. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of a novel injectable hydrogel based on polyethylene glycol and a polycarbonate of dihydroxyacetone (PEG-pDHA), in achieving hemostasis when applied topically in a clinically relevant rat model of hemorrhage due to traumatic liver injury. This compound is manufactured from dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which occurs naturally in the human body as part of the glycolytic pathway. Our preliminary studies characterizing this polymer demonstrate that PEG-pDHA may have bioadhesive properties. This material is non-inflammatory and non-immunogenic as shown in previous in vivo animal studies and has a superior safety and biocompatibility profile compared to some commonly used topical hemostatic agents. We hypothesize that PEG-pDHA gel is equally or more effective as a topical hemostatic agent than currently available hemostatic products.
Dr. Jason Spector is a nationally recognized clinician, researcher and educator. He holds two patents, and has been an integral part several Cornell University-Weill Cornell Medical College translational research teams. He participates in the NIH and Howard Hughes Medical Institute sponsored Clinical Summer Immersion for Biomedical Engineering Program, mentoring engineering doctoral students. Since 2007, he has been a lecturer at Cornell University's Biomedical Engineering Science and Technology course, "Approaches to Problems in Human Needs." Dr. Spector serves as an Ad-Hoc reviewer for six prestigious medical journals, and has presented at national and international medical meetings. He recently served as Moderator of the Emerging Technologies Section, at the American Surgical Congress in 2011.