Firuz Gamal Feturi, BS was awarded first place for her poster presentation in the medical device category during the McGowan Research Retreat March 2017.
Firuz’s abstract was titled Ultrasound Triggered-Release Embedded Anti-Rejection Therapy (TREAT ™) for Targeted Immunomodulation in Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation.
For the first time in organ transplantation, a drug delivery system ” TREAT ™”, was developed  that can provide an optimal, sustained drug release and on-cue triggered drug release in graft tissues with stable, low blood levels, minimizing overall drug exposure and facilitating long-term VCA survival with no systemic complications. Also developed were dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO)-immunosuppressant prodrugs that can be reloaded into the azido-modified alginate gels via Click chemistry, with the goal of refilling the alginate scaffolds with immunosuppressive drugs once the encapsulated drugs are running out and thus maintaining the immunosuppressive effect for a long term without replacing the gel scaffolds via surgery method.

Feturi, is a fifth year clinical pharmaceutical science graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. Professor Raman Venkataramaan, PhD is her faculty advisor

 

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