SUMMARY
Christoph G. Nabzdyk, M.D., provides anesthesia and critical care for a broad range of surgical patients. His research aims to address the long-standing clinical challenges he encounters such as perioperative hemorrhage, failure of surgical organ repair, and medical device-related thromboembolic and infectious complications. In particular, Dr. Nabzdyk collaborates with Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers to develop novel biomaterials to tackle clinical challenges and translate these potentially lifesaving technologies into clinical application.
Focus areas
- Bioadhesive patch for instant air- and liquid-tight organ sealing. Dr. Nabzdyk is developing a hydrogel adhesive technology that can instantly seal organs.
- Bioadhesive paste for instant hemostasis. Dr. Nabzdyk is developing a bioadhesive paste that can instantly create hemostasis even in high-blood-loss scenarios.
- Medical device hydrogel coating. Dr. Nabzdyk is developing an ultrathin hydrogel coating that reduces blood flow resistance and features thromboresistant and antifouling properties.
Significance to patient care
Breakdown of surgical organ repair is a feared complication with grave consequences for patients. Despite decades of research, no satisfactory technology is currently available to address this. The bioadhesive patch may offer a simple, off-the-shelf solution for many surgical patients.
Likewise, ensuring perioperative hemostasis can be challenging given existing treatment modalities. The bioadhesive paste may offer a potent alternative to commercially available products to achieve hemostasis even in complex clinical scenarios. This may be of particular help in trauma patients and other patients at high risk of significant blood loss.
With an aging population and improvements in medical device capabilities, an increasing number of patients are dependent on implanted medical devices. However, implanted devices are prone to infections, and intravascular devices are nidi for thrombus formation. Therefore, developing device surfaces that mitigate the risk of some of the most significant complications associated with medical device implantation would have great significance to a broad range of patients.