2020-2022
Despite the worldwide 2020-2021 travel lockdown, our travel came to a halt, but our activities continue remotely.
In basic sciences, our collaboration with the University of Science yielded the following publications:
- Optimization of the isolation procedure and culturing conditions for hepatic stellate cell obtained from mouse. Dang MT, Le VT, Do HQ, Nguyen VT, Holterman A, Dang LT, Phan NCL, Pham PV, Hoang SN, Le LT, Grassi G and Truong NT- Bioscience Reports, 2021; 41(1) 1-14. PMD 33350435 doi: 10.1042/BSR20202514.
- The effects of autophagy inhibition by Chloroquine on hepatic stellate cell activation in CCl4- induced acute liver injury mouse model. Dang MT, Le VT, Do HQ, Nguyen VT, Holterman A, Dang LT, Phan NCL, Pham PV, Hoang SN, Le LT, Grassi G and Truong NT. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Oct 2021 https://doi.org/10.1111/jgh.15726
In applied and clinical sciences, the Biliary Atresia project received a grant from Cures Within Reach Regrow Grant for the use of repurposing cancer medications toward the treatment of rare diseases. Dr. Nguyen Pham Anh Hoa at the National Children Hospital in Ha Noi, Vietnam is the Principal Investigator. The related publications:
- Biliary Atresia Liver Histopathologies as prognostic factors for post Kasai outcome. Nguyen H. and Holterman, A. J Pediatr Surg. 2021 July (56)7: 1169-1173. PMID: 33838902
- Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor GCSF mobilizes hematopoietic stem cells in Kasai patients with biliary atresia in a Phase 1 study and improves short term outcome. Holterman, A, Hoa N, Nadler E, Vu G, Le H, Mohan P, Vu M, et al. J Pediatr Surg. 2021 July (56)7: 1179-1185. PMID: 33965236.
- Study protocol of Phase 2 open-label multicenter randomized controlled trial for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) in post-Kasai Type 3 biliary atresia. Nguyen H, Ren J, Butler M, Li H, Qazi S, Sadiq K, Dao H, and Holterman A. Ped Surg International. 2022, April 7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-022-05115-0
The Pediatric Acute Surgical Support PASS course to prepare hospital medical providers in developing countries in the initial acute management of life-threatening pediatric surgical emergencies was last delivered on-site in November 2019 as 2 sessions at the City Children Hospital, for 31 new learners and trained 4 of the previous PASS learners as future local PASS instructors to advance PASS locally.
The PASS activities cumulated into 2 recent publications
- PASS- A course in Pediatric Acute Surgical Support to build pediatric surgical emergencies capacity in developing countries. Dinh T, Khairallah T, Deshpande G, Nguyen C, Krzyzaniak S, Barton G, Bohrensen S, Vu MT, and Holterman A. J Pediatr Surg. 2022, March https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2022.03.004.
- Academic pediatric surgery capacity building in Vietnam through PASS, a Pediatric Acute Surgical Support course. Nguyen BU, Holterman A, Holterman M, and Dinh LT. Frontiers in Surgery-Pediatric Surgery. 2022, April 20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2022.868483
We anticipate resumption of the PASS course August 17-25 at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy- Simulation facility in Ho Chi Minh City. Many Vietnamese PASS faculty will be joining the international faculty for these sessions.
2020
Prometheus USA activities in 2020 were limited by restrictions in international travel from the Wuhan SARS-2 virus. Progresses in our 3 core goals of the organization mission are described below.
1) Promoting applied biomedical research, mentoring and supporting trainees and faculty in building their programs:
• We are proceeding with health authority approval to conduct Phase 2 of the clinical trial on GCSF as support therapy in Biliary Atresia at the National Children Hospital in Hanoi and Children Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City.
• We performed the Phase 2 study site initiation visit in February at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.
• We presented outcome data from the Phase 1 study of GCSF as support therapy in Biliary Atresia at the November 53rd Annual Conference for the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons. This resulted in a 2021 publication in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery.
• With our support, 2 manuscripts were accepted for publication, one by clinical investigators at the National Children Hospital in Hanoi for the Journal of Pediatric Surgery on the characteristics of the intrahepatic bile ducts in biliary atresia, and the 2nd one from researchers at VN University of Science for Bioscience Reports on the optimal technique for hepatic stellate cell isolation.
• We assisted clinical investigators from the National Children Hospital in Hanoi to obtain a competitive grant from Cures within Reach Research Foundation to fund the Phase 2 of GCSF Adjuvant Therapy for Congenital Biliary Atresia.
2) Enhancing the surgical care of children in LMIC with PASS (Pediatric Acute Surgical Support) course, an interdisciplinary multimodality Course for the Initial Care of Life-Threatening Pediatric Surgical Emergencies. PASS was developed in 2015, piloted in Vietnam and implemented at several children hospitals in VN. We participated at the February Aga Khan University AKU 5th Annual Surgical Conference on Trauma by organizing a course on PASS, and introduced the course as Invited conference speaker to the AKU audience.
AKU February 5th Annual Surgical Conference
November 2019
2nd PASS course at City Children Hospital in VN for the first instructor class and the VN instructors joint teaching with US faculty of the 4th CCH class.
Progression of the TRAIN the TRAINERS approach.
November 2019
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases 70th Annual Meeting.
Presidential Poster of Distinction: GCSF improves hepatic inflammation, fibrosis and attenuates the ductular reaction during biliary obstruction in mice.
Prometheus sponsored Dr. Trinh Van Le, a PhD candidate at the University of Science at the Stem Cell Research and Application Lab in Vietnam for his first AASLD meeting attendance and visit to the US.
September 2019
A) Discussed joint development of a Pediatric Surgical Residency Training curriculum for VN with surgical leaders at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in HCMC and Children Hospital 1;
B) Guest speaker at the VN Association of Pediatric Surgeons and ASEAN Pediatric surgery meeting to present an update the Biliary Atresia clinical trial;
C) Potential recruitment of Children Hospital 2 as a study site; and
D) 3rd return at the 27th Annual meeting of the Indonesian Society of Pediatric Surgeons Perbani in Malang as key note speakers to promote PASS course.
August 2019
Exploring potential opportunities for research collaborations and clinical trials at the International Allergy and Immunology Annual meeting in Amman Jordan.
July 2019
Visit to National Children Hospital in Hanoi regarding the completion of Phase 1 of the FDA trial.
Preparation for Phase 2 protocol submission to the Ministry of Health and addition of Children Hospital 1 to be the 2nd study site in Vietnam.
Discussion with NCH leadership regarding piloting PASS as a resuscitation surgical module to the Advanced Pediatric Life Support course.
April 2019
PASS 2nd course at City Children Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Promoting team and interdisciplinary work that includes nursing personnel.
CCH personnel have independently organized a modified PASS in acute resuscitation for the staff under our supervision.
February 2019
Harbin Medical University
Third visit to Aga Khan University-as invited speaker on Global Surgery.
Presented the importance of research development in program capacity building of clinical programs in developing countries.
Formal discussions of AKU as a study site for the Biliary Atresia interventional trial.
At Danang Women and Children Hospital. Sponsored the first international Colorectal course for advanced training in managing anorectal malformations with team from Nationwide Children Hospital.
Pediatric surgeons and pediatric surgical nurses throughout Vietnam participated.
December 2018
Harbin Medical University
Repeat guest speakers at the Institute of Cell Biotechnology for continued discussion of potential areas of research collaborations.
A welcomed weather break from cold Chicago…
November 2018
We implemented PASS at City Children Hospital, HCMC.
We identified several future PASS trainers among the 3rd Graduating Class.
October 2018
We signed a Memorandum of Agreement for Research collaboration, training and support for the Stem Cell Research Lab at the University of Sciences, Vietnam.
Returning to the Annual Perbani Society meeting. We introduced the audience to novel treatment for Biliary Atresia and continued our discussion with Perbani leadership of specific program development for Perbani.
September 2018
We signed a Memorandum of Agreement with City Children Hospital, HCMC Vietnam as a site for PASS Implementation.
May 2018
The American Pediatric Surgical Association APSA Annual Meeting.
First APSA International travel fellow from Pakistan, Aga Khan University. Dr. Sohail Dogar.
Dr. Dogar was a recipient of the Duke University Global Health Patient Safety and Quality training fellowship, sponsored by Dr. Henry Rice.
March 2018
Can Tho Children Hospital
We reconnected with previous PASS learners.
February 2018
Second visit to Aga Khan University.
Innovative symposium on cancer care.
Further discussion with the leadership on the department of Pediatric Surgery research program development.
December 2017
Aga Khan University Biliary Atresia Symposium.
Invited speaker.
First outreach to explore opportunities for training, education and research collaboration.
October 2017
Perbani, the Indonesian Association of Pediatric Surgeon Annual Meeting.
First official outreach to the leaders of Perbani, a professional organization in South East Asia to identify future areas of mutual interests and enhance global collaboration to improve pediatric surgical care in developing countries. International guest speaker on Global Innovation in Pediatric Surgery.
The Indonesian society recognizes the needs to develop and mentor young surgeons in academic activities, clinical investigations and publications.
The society will meet and make recommendations to Prometheus for specific areas to focus on for the next few years.
Prometheus was invited to return the following year to continue building our relationship.
Perbani. Indonesian Association Pediatric Surgery Board of Directors
September 2017
We implemented PASS to the 2nd graduating class at Children Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Harbin Medical University.
Seminar speaker and exploratory visit for basic science research collaborations.
March 2017
Bringing applied bioengineering to Children Hospital 1.
Graduate students from the Department of Bioengineering UIC designed a portable low cost laminar flow hood under Dr. Miiri Kotche’s supervision.
February 2017
The last session of the PASS pilot course was conducted.
The learners from the first graduating class were mostly pediatric specialists from Children Hospital 1, Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine, Danang Women and Children Hospital, and CanTho Children Hospital.
December 2016
A 3-days review PASS course at a 2nd level children hospital in Central Vietnam.
The Danang Women and Children Hospital involved learners at DWCH who previously attended PASS session 2 at CH1 in HCMC for the opportunities to practice the skills they acquired for their PASS skill maintenance program.
November 2016
As part of our research capacity building activities, we sponsored Dr. Truong Hai Nhung, a young stem cell scientist from the University of Science in Vietnam for international travel and her first meeting attendance and scientific presentation to the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease AASLD.
She met many potential future research collaborators. This precedes our scientific collaboration to study liver insufficiency and investigate potential pharmacologic intervention such as Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor in improving hepatic function.
October 2016
At the ACS American College of Surgeons Global Initiatives for Children Surgery GICS meeting, we presented our PASS program to promote a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, train the trainers, context-appropriate approach to capacity building in pediatric surgical care in developing countries.
September 2016
The 2nd 3-day session of PASS pilot course was deployed at the high level Children Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City.
April 2016
The Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons PAPS 49th annual meeting.
Dr. Thanh Dinh, the first young pediatric surgeon from Children Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City was the first Vietnamese GAP (Global Alliance Program) fellow.
We supported the Pediatric surgeons from Vietnam in their preparation to promote Vietnam as the next hosting country for the 2020 Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons Annual Meeting and to broaden clinical and academic interactions between VN and PAPS surgeons.
