UK Plastic Surgery researchers receive a pilot grant from Plastic Surgery Foundation
By Josh Shepherd
The Plastic Surgery Foundation (PSF) awarded a University of Kentucky research team in the Division of Plastic Surgery a $10,000 pilot research grant in support of a breast cancer related study investigating a novel therapy for soft tissue repair after radiation treatment and breast reconstruction. The study is but one example of the ways in which Plastic Surgery is having a significant impact on cancer-related research in Kentucky.
The research team is led by Dr. Ryan DeCoster, a post-doctoral research fellow with the Division of Plastic Surgery and the Markey Cancer Center, and Dr. Kant Lin, Plastic Surgery Division Chief and DeCoster’s American Society of Plastic Surgeons mentor for the project. The primary research team also includes Timothy Butterfield, PhD, a biomechanics expert with dual appointments in Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiology, as well as Alisha Bonaroti, MD, MS, a fourth-year plastic surgery resident with a background in biomedical engineering. They were notified of the PSF award in the summer of 2019.
According to Dr. DeCoster, the research explores the novel use of Deferoxamine as a method to mitigate the complications of implant-based breast reconstruction in the setting of radiation therapy following breast cancer. Deferoxamine is an FDA-approved medication that is commonly used as a chelating agent to reduce excess iron and aluminum in the body’s bloodstream. There is some evidence, including previous works from Lin’s laboratory while at the University of Virginia, to suggest that the agent might be beneficial for improving the biomechanical properties of previously healthy tissue that was damaged as a result of radiation therapy. Improving the quality of radiated soft tissue could have significant implications for lowering the high complication rates that are associated with implant-based breast reconstruction in the setting of radiation therapy, DeCoster said.
Investigation into the use of this agent is still in an early phase. However, it is not the only area in which Plastic Surgery researchers have received funding. Dr. DeCoster, working in tandem with Dr. Henry Vasconez, a senior member of the Plastic Surgery faculty, was also awarded a National Cancer Institute Surgeon-Scientist T32 training grant (PI: B. Mark Evers, MD) from the Markey Cancer Center for another cancer-related research initiative.
That project, which investigates the molecular mechanisms of breast implant-associated large cell lymphoma, is being conducted in association with colleagues from University of Texas-based M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Mark Clemens, MD, Roberto Miranda, MD, L. Jeffrey Medeiros, MD), Mayo Clinic Florida (Brian Rinker, MD) and the University of Kentucky (Timothy Butterfield, PhD, Kant Lin, MD, Lesley Wong, MD). The investigators were recently awarded a grant by the Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (SESPRS) to conduct the study. In addition to Dr. Vasconez, acting as a clinical mentor for the project, DeCoster is also working with Dr. Butterfield as a scientific mentor.
A Kentucky native, Dr. DeCoster is a veteran of the U.S. Navy where he served six years as a medical corpsman. One of his first major tours of duty was serving Louisiana’s injured and homeless on a medical ship (USNS Comfort) in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He also served four years with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Infantry Regiment with deployments to Iraq in 2007 as well as other countries throughout the Middle East and Europe.
He did not even think about attending medical school until much later in his academic career. After earning an undergraduate degree in Biophysics in 2010, he was accepted into medical school at the University of Louisville. He later transferred to the University of Kentucky to complete his medical degree.
It was through mentorship with Dr. Vasconez during his Plastic Surgery rotation that DeCoster cultivated an abiding interest in surgical research. He decided to pursue his doctorate in clinical and translational sciences.
The grants that Plastic Surgery faculty have garnered recently are significant, DeCoster said. It reflects well on the division’s commitment to contribute substantively to the body of knowledge in cancer and other medical research.
In addition to the research grants, several residents and faculty were invited to make presentations on their research at the 2019 SESPRS Annual Scientific Meeting in Naples, Florida. Dr. David Drake is the most recent president-elect for SESPRS, and chief resident Dr. Chase Burns was selected to compete for the coveted Glancy Award this year.
