Research and Clinical Trials

The Department of Plastic Surgery Research Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh conducts scientific investigations in multiple interdisciplinary areas. The scope of our projects revolves around the future avenues of tissue reconstruction, transplantation, and tissue engineering. Modalities are investigated to manipulate the immune system in order to achieve transplantation of composite tissue allografts. Tissue engineering projects are focused on nerve, bone, adipose, and cartilage regeneration. We routinely isolate adult stem cells from adipose tissue and we study both the biology of the adipose-derived stem cells and the potential of the cells in tissue engineering applications.

For more information on each of our three areas of research, please see below.

For information about human subject research trials conducted out of the UPMC Center for Innovation in Restorative Medicine, please contact:

Patsy Simon, RN, BS, CCRC, CCRA
Director, Operations, UPMC Wound Research Alliance
Director, Regulatory and Clinical Affairs, UPMC Center for Innovation in Restorative Medicine (CIRM)
University of Pittsburgh, Department of Plastic Surgery
6B Scaife Hall, RM 664
3550 Terrace St.
Pittsburgh, PA. 15261
Phone: 412-648-9207
simonpa@upmc.edu