PhD student Matthew Aronson (left) with Dr. Gottardi (right). Image courtesy of The Mirage.
By Cristina D’Imperio
Riccardo Gottardi, PhD, McGowan affiliated faculty, was recently recognized as a Young Innovator of Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering by Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, the official journal of the Biomedical Engineering Society.
Dr. Gottardi leads the Bioengineering and Biomaterials Laboratory at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, working closely with clinicians to develop engineering solutions for pediatric airway disorders based on translational tissue engineering and on novel preventative drug delivery approaches with accelerated pathway to the clinic.
Dr. Gottardi was specifically recognized for his research on subglottic stenosis, which is a condition where a portion of the windpipe narrows. Subglottic stenosis is typically characterized by inflammation and scar tissue. At times, the condition is caused by intubation when bacteria might build in the windpipe. Currently, treatments range from observation to steroid injections and surgery.
Dr. Gottardi’s lab, in a study led by PhD student Matthew Aronson, used both ex vivo and in vivo models to show how their patent-pending antimicrobial peptide-eluting endotracheal tube (AMP-ET) effectively targeted the local airway microbiota, reducing inflammation and resolving stenosis.
The use of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which are small proteins that destabilize bacterial membranes, cause bacterial cells to fall apart and die. This mechanism of action allows the AMPs to target specific bacteria and makes them unlikely to promote antimicrobial resistance.
“We have created a novel device to modulate the upper-airway microbiome, which could be used to prevent bacterial infections during intubation and help prevent subglottic stenosis and other airway diseases,” said Dr. Gottardi. “Not only does this technology work predictably and continuously over the normal duration of chronically intubated patients, but it is also fast and easy to produce and could easily be modulated to target any bacteria of interest.”
“I am honored to be recognized by Cellular and Molecular Engineering for this exciting and notable award,” Dr. Gottardi continued. “We are hopeful that our airway innovation will show similar success in human trials, so that we can improve outcomes for intubated pediatric patients.”
Read more from The Mirage here.
Read more about some of Dr. Gottardi and Matthew Aronson’s research here.