Tulane researchers advance new therapies for spinal cord injury and surgical infection prevention
A Tulane University researcher is developing new therapies designed to both restore function after spinal cord injuries and prevent serious infections following surgery, advancing a growing research program at the intersection of engineering and medicine.
Dr. Sina Pourtaheri, a spine surgeon at Gulf Coast Orthopedics and an adjunct associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, is leading a research program focused on developing and testing new therapies that deliver drugs and biologically active molecules directly at the site of injury or surgery.
The work is anchored by a $3.5 million National Institutes of Health grant supporting research on spinal cord regeneration. The project builds on earlier studies showing that a protein-based “nanocapsule therapy” can restore movement in paralyzed mice. Current efforts aim to improve that technology to enhance nerve regeneration and functional recovery.
“We showed that in models of spinal cord injury, we can restore function in paralyzed limbs,” Pourtaheri said. “Now we’re developing newer versions of that technology to improve outcomes and move closer to what could help future patients.”
In parallel, the lab has developed a localized antibiotic delivery system designed to prevent infections during spine and orthopedic surgeries. The approach uses biodegradable nanospheres to release antibiotics over several weeks at the surgical site, targeting the period of highest infection risk.
“Infections after surgery can be catastrophic and, in many cases, leave patients permanently disabled,” Pourtaheri said. “The goal is to prevent infection at the time of surgery by maintaining protective levels of antibiotics where they’re needed most.”
The research, recently published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, addresses a major clinical challenge. Implant-related infections can require multiple surgeries, lead to long-term disability and significantly increase healthcare costs.
For this project, Pourtaheri was recently chosen as one of three recipients of Tulane’s Provost Proof of Concept Fund, a competitive grant program run by the Tulane University Innovation Institute and Provost Robin Forman to help faculty, staff and trainees turn early-stage research into market-ready, impactful and commercialized discoveries.
Together, the projects reflect a broader strategy to create adaptable drug delivery platforms that can be applied to a range of conditions, including neurologic disease and surgical complications.
“We’re building technologies that can improve care not just for one patient at a time, but for thousands of patients in the future,” Pourtaheri said.
Based in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE), the research program brings together faculty and trainees across engineering and medicine and includes collaborations with University of California, Los Angeles, and the European Brain Research Institute. The lab is continuing to expand, with plans to pursue additional federal funding and explore future clinical and commercial applications. The work is part of a growing effort to translate advances in biomaterials and drug delivery into new treatment options for patients with spinal cord injuries and other complex conditions.
On his collaboration with Pourtaheri, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, also a professor in CBE, said the projects “are the most exciting ones I have been involved with in my 45-year career at Tulane.”
Jing Wen, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UCLA, said she and Pourtaheri have collaborated for more than a decade on spinal cord regeneration research and other neurologic conditions.
“Together we have made important breakthroughs,” Wen said. “I am excited about this collaboration and the potential of our work to advance new therapies to improve the lives of future patients.”