Paul DiMuzio, MD was the 2003 Wylie Scholar. He is currently the William M. Measey Professor of Surgery and Director of the Division of Vascular Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
What was your FAVR funded research?
My research involves tissue-engineered vascular bypass grafts. Bypass graft surgery remains a major tool in our efforts to help patients with peripheral vascular and coronary artery diseases, and to establish access for hemodialysis for those with end-stage renal disease. The research generously funded by FAVR directly addresses our ability to help patients with these limb- and life-threatening problems who do not have enough of their own tissues necessary for successful surgery.
What impact did the Wylie Scholar Award have on your ability to continue research?
The award directly impacted my ability to build a basic science effort to a point where I was able to attain funding congruent with independence as a clinician-scientist. The funding has raised my stature within our surgery department as well as within our local/regional/national societies to a level where I can legitimately share ideas with other researchers, further expanding our ability as a whole to fight vascular disease.
This award has achieved its goal—it has allowed me to develop my work as a clinician-scientist and to receive significant extramural funding from both local and national resources. Since being awarded the Wylie grant, I have obtained grants totaling in excess of $1 million, which serve as strong evidence for scientific independence.
Additionally, since being awarded the Wylie Scholar grant, further evidence of progress includes:
- I have been given a newly renovated laboratory space totalling 1500 square feet.
- I have been able to support two full-time technicians working in the laboratory.
- I have been able to mentor a host of medical students, general surgery residents and Tissue Engineering/Regenerative Medicine Program pre-doctoral students (total of 23).
- I am now an editor for the Journal of Surgical Research and ASAIO, and an editor-at-large for three other journals.
- I now serve on the American Heart Association Bioengineering and Biotechnology 1 Peer Review Study Group.
Learn more about Paul DiMuzio, MD…
