Fetal wound healing: The fetus responds to injury without scarring or inflammation. With the help of multiple basic science collaborators at the University of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, we hope to unravel the biology of scarless fetal wound healing using both fetal animals and tissue/cell systems. The ultimate aim is to apply this knowledge clinically and to improve the healing of wounds and avoid scarring (keloid, hypertrophic scar, intraperitoneal adhesions, strictures, burn scar contracture, etc.) by modulating the wound processes to provide a more fetal-like environment for adult tissue repair.

Videoendoscopic Surgery: Development of minimally invasive techniques and instrumentation for pediatric laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, and fetoscopy.

Wilms’ Tumor Research: Our clinical studies in Wilms’ tumor patients have uncovered markedly elevated urine levels of hyaluronic acid, hyaluronidase, hyaluronic acid stimulating activity and basic fibroblast growth factor. We hope to allucidate the pathophysiology and functional significance of the altered hyaluronic acid metabolism in Wilms’ tumor patients. We are evaluating the clinical efficacy of these Wilms’ tumor markers in collaboration with the National Wilms’ Tumor Study Group.

Cost Per Anomaly: Healthcare costs for neonates with surgically correctable birth defects are being analyzed along with the determination of cost reduction strategies, lifetime societal costs, and outcome analysis.