Medical Devices

Regenerative Medicine Spin Off Technology Moves Closer To Clinical Use

A commercial version of technologies developed in the McGowan Medical Devices Prototype Laboratory (MMDPL) at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine has moved one step closer to serving the needs of patients with respiratory distress. ALung Technologies, Inc., a University of Pittsburgh licensee, presented an analysis of its recent clinical trial of the Hemolung Respiratory Assist System (RAS) (pictured) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The results of a clinical study in Germany were summarized in a paper that was presented at the 58th Annual Conference of the American Society of Artificial Internal Organs in San Francisco. Read More

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine affiliated faculty member Jeffrey Teuteberg, MD, assistant professor of medicine, associate director of the Heart Transplant Program, member of the Heart Failure/Cardiac Transplant section, and medical director, Mechanical Circulatory Support Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and faculty member Robert Kormos, MD, professor with tenure specializing in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, director of UPMC’s Artificial Heart and Program, and co-director of the Heart Transplant Program, and colleagues authored a recent study which looked to test the usefulness of the Destination Therapy Risk Score (DTRS) in patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). The DTRS was developed to predict the risk of 90-day in-hospital mortality with pulsatile flow LVAD as destination therapy (DT). Read More

Regenerative Medicine Spin-Out Funds Research Fellowship

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine received a monetary gift award of $70,000 from ALung Technologies Inc. in support of a research fellowship in the area of respiratory assist devices. The award augments ongoing studies with the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine-Medical Devices Laboratory headed by William Federspiel, PhD, the William Kepler Whiteford professor of bioengineering, chemical engineering, and surgery, University of Pittsburgh. This is the second donation from ALung in support of McGowan Institute research and is a good example of how university spin-out companies can provide support to continue the advancement of emerging technologies. Read More

LVADs as Destination Therapy Rather Than Bridge-to-Transplant

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member Robert Kormos, MD, director, Artificial Heart Program, co-director Heart Transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and medical director of Vital Engineering, and the team of professionals of the UPMC Artificial Heart Program provide long-term cardiac support for patients suffering from advanced-stage heart failure who are and are not eligible for transplantation. Read More

Introducing the McGowan Medical Device Prototype Laboratory

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine is pleased to introduce the McGowan Medical Device Prototype Laboratory (MMDPL).   Through their unique capabilities, Laboratory staff members are assisting clinicians and engineers with the translation from concept to functional prototype of clinically significant devices and instrumentation.  By using the team’s experience in the utilization of advanced engineering tools and manufacturing processes, their unique implementation strategies will form a novel bridge network of facilities to streamline the “Insight to Product” process. Read More