Burn Center of Research Excellence (BCoRE)

The topic of burns and wounds has been a fertile ground for research at TTUHSC for several years, with multiple peer reviewed publications and presentations at national and international meetings. The burn research program has also facilitated the involvement of TTUHSC faculty, residents, medical students and undergraduates in basic science and clinical research, providing the first research opportunity for many junior investigators. The designation as a TTUHSC Research Center of Excellence will serve to recognize these efforts both intra and extramurally, as well as develop the basic and clinical science infrastructure in order to be competitive for grant funding at both local and national levels. Formalization as a center will also facilitate access by students from all schools at TTUHSC as well as promote collaboration with outside organizations and individuals. Finally, a designated center of excellence will promote national recognition of the scientific work being done at TTUHSC and help recruit talented individuals interested in this area of research at all levels.

Burn care has historically been a multidisciplinary field from its inception as a separate specialty in the 1950s, with physicians, nurses, wound care technicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists and psychologists being recognized as equally important to the well-being of the burned patient. Perhaps in no other field of medicine is the concept of a team approach so firmly embedded. This is evident even at the national level with the American Burn Association (ABA) leadership comprised of representation from all specialties. This approach is well suited to translational research and collaboration, and is a likely factor in the high research productivity of the burn center despite a relatively small core physician faculty.

• University Medical Center (UMC) Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Clinical Research Institute (CRI)
• UMC John A Griswold Level I Trauma Center
• Research and Testing Laboratory
• UMC Health and Wellness Hospital

Publications:

Kruczek C, Qaisar U, Colmer-Hamood JA, Hamood AN. 2013. Serum influences the expression of Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum-sensing genes and QS-controlled virulence genes during early and late stages of growth. MicrobiologyOpen. doi: 10.1002/mbo3.147 (Epub ahead of print).

Kyle G. Miller, Phat L. Tran, Cecily L. Haley, Matt Myntti, Jane A. Colmer-Hamood, and Abdul N. Hamood. A Novel Agent That Inhibits Biofilm Development by Gram-positive and Gram-negative Wound Pathogens (submitted).

Grants:

CH Foundation: Abdul Hamood (PI), 01/01/2014-12/30/2014, Title: A Potential Therapy for Burn Wound Infections

Grants and Research Funding:

2024 Texas Tech Accelerator Start-Up Grant – Industry Advancement Technology (iAT) accelerator track – CEO – Burn Length of Stay (BloS)

2023 National Science Foundation Innovation Corp regional grant – Primary Investigator Great Lakes Regional I-Corps Hub Program – Spring Cohort #2 Machine learning image processing of thermal injury 
2023 Texas Tech University Amarillo Regional Innovation Corp Program - Machine learning image processing of inhalational injury

2022 CH Foundation Grant – Market Research funding for machine learning in burns University of California – Berkeley Regional Innovation Corp Program - Machine learning image processing of thermal injury Texas Tech University Regional Innovation Corp Program -Supply chain management for fecal transplants

Peer Reviewed Publications:

Abla, H, Pang, AW, Shaw, C, Bharadia, D, Griswold, J. Assessing Resuscitation Needs in Burn Patients with Varying Degrees of Liver Disease, Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2022;235(5):S275-S275. DOI: 10.1097/01.XCS.0000895168.51755.c4.

Grossman, H, Pang, AW, Griswold, J. Treatment of Severe Road Rash with ReCell Autologous Skin Cell Suspension. Journal of Burn Care & Research. 2023;44(3):731-733. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/irad028

Pang A, Abla H, Felan S, Griswold J. Autologous skin cell suspension in toxic epidermal necrolysis: a case series. Journal of Burn Care and Research. 2023;44(2):481-484. https://doi.org/10.1093/jbcr/irac182

Credo, R,Pang, AW, Griswold, J. Acute Intermittent Porphyria in a Burn Patient: Case Study and Review of the Literature. J Burn Care Res. Published online September 20, 2023;irad135.

Peer Reviewed Presentations/Published Abstracts:

Adu, Y, Pang, AW, Johnston, R, et. al. Risk Factors for Reintubation and Subsequent Mortality: A Retrospective Study. May 2024. Poster Presentation. 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society: Anesthesia and Analgesia – Seattle, Washington
Adams, E, Pang, AW, Johnston, R, et. al. A retrospective study analyzing anesthesia intubation criteria in burn patients. May 2024. Poster presentation. 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society: Anesthesia and Analgesia – Seattle, Washington
Agyare, K, Pang, AW, Johnston, R, et. Al. Risk factors for Unplanned ICU and Hospital Admissions Following Elective Surgeries: A Retrospective Study. May 2024. Poster Presentation. 2024 International Anesthesia Research Society: Anesthesia and Analgesia – Seattle, Washington
Pang, AW, Li, Y, Chong, J. Deep Learning and Mechanical Ventilation Period Based Inhalational Injury Score. American Burn Association Annual Conference. April 2024. Podium Presentation. 2024 American Burn Association Annual Conference – Chicago, Illinois
Bandaru, V, Pang, AW, Griswold, J, et al. Implementation of a Checklist in Burn Surgery: Usage Improves Operation Efficiency and Cost. Southern Region Burn Conference. November 2023. Podium Presentation. – 1st place overall in podium presentations. 2023 36th Annual Southern Region Burn Conference – Birmingham, Alabama
Bingi, P, Griswold, J, Pang, AW, et. al. Increased Intraoperative Hypothermia in Burn Patients Administered Famotidine Pre-operatively. October 2023. Poster Presentation. 2023 26th Annual Trauma and Critical Care Symposium – Lubbock, Texas
Bradshaw, E, Pang, AW, Bharadia, D, Griswold, J. “Using Geography as a Predictive Factor of Outcomes in Burn Care Follow-up in Rural West Texas.” Telehealth Week, Accepted for Poster Presentation, 2023. 2023 1st Annual Texas Tech University Health Science Center Telehealth Week – Lubbock Texas
Zeitouni, J., Aickareth, G., Pang, AW, Bharadia, D., Griswold, J. The Resemblance of Chemical Pneumonitis Lung Damage to COVID-19 Lung Damage on a CT Scan: A Case Study, CHEST Annual Meeting 2022 October 16-19, 2022. Chest. 2022;162(4):A1. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0012-3692(22)03810-7.

Publications:

Bjarnsholt T, Buhlin K, Dufrêne YF, Gomelsky M, Moroni A, Ramstedt M, Rumbaugh KP, Schulte T, Sun L, Åkerlund B, Römling U. Biofilm formation - What we can learn from recent developments. J Intern Med. 2018 Jun 1. doi: 10.1111/joim.12782. PMID: 29856510

Cornforth DM, Dees JL, Ibberson CB, Huse HK, Mathiesen IH, Kirketerp-Møller K, Wolcott RD, Rumbaugh KP, Bjarnsholt T, Whiteley M. Pseudomonas aeruginosa transcriptome during human infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 May 29;115(22):E5125-E5134. PMID: 29856510

Everett J, Gabrilska R, Rumbaugh KP, Vikström E. Assessing Pseudomonas aeruginosa Autoinducer Effects on Mammalian Epithelial Cells. Methods Mol Biol. 2018;1673:213-225. PMID: 29130176

Hamerly T, Everett JA, Paris N, Fisher ST, Karunamurthy A, James GA, Rumbaugh KP, Rhoads DD, Bothner B. Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biomarkers from thermally injured mice in situ using imaging mass spectrometry. Anal Biochem. 2017 Oct 28;539:144-148. PMID:29107579

Smith A.C, Rice A., Sutton R.B., Gabrilska R., Wessel A.K., Whiteley M., and Rumbaugh K.P. Albumin inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing and alters polymicrobial interactions. Infect Immun. 2017 Jun 19. pii: IAI.00116-17. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00116-17. PMID: 28630071

Watters C, Everett JA, Haley C, Clinton A, Rumbaugh KP. Insulin Treatment Modulates the Host Immune System To Enhance Pseudomonas aeruginosa Wound Biofilms. Infect Immun. 2014 Jan;82(1):92-100.

Filiatrault MJ, Tombline G, Wagner VE, Van Alst N, Rumbaugh K, Sokol P, Schwingel J, Iglewski BH. 2013. Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA1006, Which Plays a Role in Molybdenum Homeostasis, Is Required for Nitrate Utilization, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence. PLoS One.8(2):e55594. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055594. Epub 2013 Feb 8. PMID:23409004

A. Korgaonkar , U. Trivedi , K.P. Rumbaugh , M. Whiteley. 2013. Community surveillance enhances P. aeruginosa virulence during polymicrobial infection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Jan 15;110(3):1059-64. PMID:23277552

Watters C., Deleon K., Trivedi U., Griswold J.A., Lyte M., Hampel K.J., Wargo M.J., Rumbaugh K.P. 2013. Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms perturb wound resolution and antibiotic tolerance in diabetic mice. Med Med Microbiol Immunol. 2013 Apr;202(2):131-41. (recommended by F1000)

Presentations:

2013 14th International Conference on Pseudomonas (Lausanne, Switzerland). Profiling Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound infections with high-throughput genomic methods. K.H. Turner, U. Trivedi, K. Rumbaugh and M. Whiteley. Selected for Oral Presentation

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Orleans, LA). Chemotaxis contributes to Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence in a thermally injured mouse model of infection. J Everett, K Turner, M Whitely, and K Rumbaugh. Samuel Kaplan Award (1stplace poster presentation)

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Orleans, LA). The Effects of Albumin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing in the Chronic Wound Environment. A Clinton, J Chavez, Y Mechref, K Rumbaugh. Samuel Kaplan Award (2nd place poster presentation)

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Orleans, LA). Antibiotic Resistance in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Wounds. U Trivedi, S Parameswaran, A Armstrong, S Dissanaike and K Rumbaugh . Poster presentation

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Orleans, LA). The Role of Clostridium perfringens in Multi-Species Wound Biofilms. H Sparks, S DeLeon, A Clinton and K Rumbaugh. Poster presentation

2013 American College of Surgeons (Washington, DC) and American Society for Microbiology (New Orleans, LA). α-Amylase Inhibits Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms. D Fleming, U Trivedi and K Rumbaugh. Poster presentation

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Orleans, LA). Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing in chronic wound infections. AR Cueva, A Armstrong, J Everett, D Fleming, K Turner, M Whiteley and K Rumbaugh. Poster presentation

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Braunsfels, TX). Is quorum sensing involved in the pathogenesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in chronic wound infections? Armstrong A., Haley C., Chavez J., Mechref Y., KP Rumbaugh. Poster presentation, Orville Wyss Award for Medical Microbiology, First Place.

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Braunsfels, TX). α-Amylase Inhibits Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms. Fleming D., Trivedi U., K.P Rumbaugh. Poster presentation, Orville Wyss Award for Medical Microbiology, Honorable Mention.

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Braunsfels, TX). Insulin treatment modifies the mammalian immune response to enhance Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound biofilms. Watters, C., Haley, C., Clinton, A., Rumbaugh, K. P. Charlie Gauntt Award, 2nd place for outstanding oral presentation.

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Braunsfels, TX). Inhibition of quorum sensing in a wound-like environment prevents Pseudomonas aeruginosa from killing Staphylococcus aureus. Clinton A., DeLeon S., Chavez J., Mechref Y., KP Rumbaugh. Poster presentation

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Braunsfels, TX). Pseudomonas aeruginosa chemotaxis towards serum in a thermally injured mouse model of infection. Everett J. and KP Rumbaugh. Poster presentation

2013 American Society for Microbiology (New Braunsfels, TX). Interactions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in dual-species wound biofilms. DeLeon S., Fowler H., Clinton A., KP Rumbaugh. Poster presentation

2013 TTUHSC Student Research Day. Serum Albumin Influences Quorum Sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Jamerson J., Clinton A., Rumbaugh, K. P. Poster presentation, won 1st place for junior medical student competition

2013 TTUHSC Student Research Day. Utilization of Molecular Sequencing Methods to Characterize the Microflora of Burn Wounds During Initial Hospital Admission. Parameswaran S., Trivedi U., Rumbaugh K., Dowd S., Vega D., Wolcott R., Dissanaike S., Griswold G. Poster presentation

2013 CHD Bioscience, Fort Collins, CO. “Treatments for Common Wounds.” Invited seminar

Grants:

Extramural awards funded

• Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health (Rumbaugh, Co-PI) 2013-1015 $20,000 “Gender Disparity in Burn Injury Survival”
• Army Research Office (Rumbaugh, Sub-contract PI; Whiteley, PI) 2013-2017 $194,981 (total subcontract) “Polymicrobial virulence mechanisms in chronic wounds”
• CHD Bioscience (Rumbaugh, PI) 2013-2014 $15,100 “Preclinical efficacy study of Veriox to treat chronic wound infections”

Grants submitted and pending approval

• NIH/NIAID R15 (Rumbaugh, PI) $448,435 “Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus Interspecies Interactions in Wounds”
• NIH/NIAID R21 (Rumbaugh, Subcontract-PI) $188,586 (total subcontract) “Genetic determinants of bacterial fitness in polymicrobial wound infections"

Grants submitted but not funded

• NIH/NIAID STTR (Rumbaugh, Sub-contract PI; Kaufmann, PI) $305,529 (total subcontract) “Recombinant Human Anti-Pseudomonas Polyclonal Antibodies As Anti-Infectives”