Immune regulation of injury and repair at epithelial surfaces
Dr. David Hackam is surgeon-in-chief of the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and the Robert Garrett professor of pediatric surgery. A leading authority on necrotizing enterocolitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases in newborns, Dr. Hackam has advanced our understanding of how these severe and sometimes fatal disorders work. He is currently devising new ways to treat them, including an innovative artificial intestine for newborns made from a biodegradable scaffold and the infant’s own gut cells. He is also exploring compounds naturally found in breast milk that may help premature infants fight necrotizing enterocolitis.