Three surgery researchers honored with 2019 Wethington Awards
Three researchers from the UK Department of Surgery – Dr. Hiroshi Saito, Dr. Marlene Starr, and Dr. Dongfang Wang – were named recipients of 2019 Wethington Awards from the University of Kentucky in recognition of their significant achievements in clinical and scientific research.
For over two decades, Dr. Hiroshi Saito has been studying to understand the mechanisms for age-dependent vulnerability to critical illnesses such as sepsis. Currently his research group has been working on two NIH-funded projects: One is to understand the age-dependent severity of acute pancreatitis. The other is to reveal the mechanisms for chronic muscle weakness after recovery from sepsis.
Dr. Marlene Starr’s laboratory focuses on adipose tissue inflammation and her research is aimed at elucidating the mechanisms which alter adipose tissue biology in the aged. Her recent work has identified visceral fat-resident gamma delta T cells as primary contributors to age-associated chronic inflammation. She has interests in comparing immunophenotypes and immune cell function in adipose tissue in aging and obesity, two very different conditions which lead to similar pathologies.
Dr. Starr also studies sepsis, a severe acute inflammatory condition and her lab has shown that adipose tissue is a major source of inflammatory and pro-coagulant mediators which may contribute to the development of acute kidney injury during sepsis. Dr. Starr recently received her first R01 as an Early Stage Investigator to study the connection between visceral fat inflammation and sepsis severity.
Dongfang Wang, MD, PhD, Director of the Artificial Organ Laboratory at UK, is an expert in heart and lung assist devices and a co-inventor of several medical devices. His work, some in collaboration with Dr. Joseph Zwischenberger, has led to five (5) patents. Among those patents is the Avalon Elite double lumen cannula for total respiratory support.
Dr. Wang has been a key innovator in the refinement of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) to reduce the complexity of the device for the benefit of heart and lung patients. He also holds a patent for a transapical to aorta left ventricular assist device (LVAD).
In the past year, Dr. Wang has embarked on a collaborative research effort between the University of Kentucky and the University of Maryland to develop a simple lung support system. The intent is to develop a system that aids in the emergency transport of soldiers suffering from acute respiratory distress from the combat field to regional medical centers.
The Department of Surgery expresses its congratulations to all three to have received this special honor.
