Thomas H. Shaffer, MS.E., Ph.D.
Director of The Center For Pediatric Research, Director of the Nemours Research Lung Center, and Director of the Office of Technology Transfer, A.I. duPont Hospital for Children
Professor of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University
Professor Emeritus of Physiology and Pediatrics, Temple University
Shaffer
Phone: (302) 651-6837
Fax: (302) 651-6810
Email: tshaffer@nemours.org
Address:
Department of Research
Nemours Research Lung Center
1600 Rockland Road
Wilmington, DE 19899
Education
- B.S., M.S., Ph.D. - Drexel University
- M.S. - Penn State University
- Postdoctoral - University of Pennsylvania
Nemours Education and Research Program
An Alliance to Foster Biomedical Research Between the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Delaware and Nemours Biomedical Research at the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children/Nemours Children's Clinic
Research Interests
Dr. Shaffer has 28 years of experience as an active scientist in pulmonary research with special attention to the needs of the neonatal and pediatric populations. Dr. Shaffer's revolutionary work with the use of perfluorochemicals for liquid ventilation for respiratory distress syndrome, blood substitutes and imaging is known world-wide, and he is considered an international expert in this field. In addition, he is renowned for his work in developmental airway physiology and clinical pulmonary function evaluation in neonates.
Current Projects
- Delivery of Antioxidant Enzymes & Genes to the Neonatal Lung - The goal of this project is to use perfluorochemical liquids to deliver antioxidant enzymes and gene products too the developing neonatal lung.
- Cardiac Output Monitor for Children's ICU - The focus of this project is evaluate a new method to determine cardiac output and blood volume in the neonatal and pediatric population.
- Vesalet Studies for Thermal Regulation - The focus of this project is to study thermal stability in a neonatal lamb model using the Hill-Rom Versalet.
- NIH Center for Pediatric Research - The focus of this project is train physician/scientists in the area of Pediatric Translational Research. Five target investigators have been identified to develop this program at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children/Nemours Research Institute.
Research Group
- Aaron Chidekel, M.D. - Pulmonologist. Studying the effects of biological interventions on Calu-3 cell preparations.
- Jay Greenspan, M.D. - Neonatologist. Clinical studies on translational research developed in the lung center.
- Thomas Miller, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Fellow. Studying the effects of MMP alterations with inflammation in the deloping lung and airway.
- Cliff Singhaus, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Fellow. Studying the effects of Heliox and iNO inhalation on lung and airway function.
- Polani Ramesh Babu, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Fellow. Studying the effects of biological interventions on Calu-3 cell preparations.
- Tami Sherman, B.S., R.N., MBA - Research Nurse Coordinator. Laboratory manager and clinical co-ordinator
- Tim Cox, B.S., RT - Director Respiratory Therapy, Laboratory and CLinical Studies on translational research.
Selected Publications
- Chong E, Dysart KC, Chidekel A, Locke R, Shaffer TH, Miller TL. Heat shock protein 70 secretion by neonatal tracheal tissue during mechanical ventilation: association with indices of tissue function and modeling. Pediatr Res. 2009;65(4):387–391.
- Costantino ML, Micheau P, Shaffer TH, Tredici S, Wolfson MR. Clinical Design Functions: Round Table Discussions on the Bioengineering of Liquid Ventilators. Asaio J. 2009:in press.
- Miller TL, Zhu Y, Markwardt S, Singhaus CJ, Chidekel AS, Shaffer TH. Dissociation between the effects of oxygen and pressure on matrix metalloproteinase-2, -7, and -9 expression in human airway epithelial cells. Am J Perinatol. 2008;25(8):481–489.
- Theroux MC, Olivant A, Lim D, et al. Low dose methylprednisolone prophylaxis to reduce inflammation during one-lung ventilation. Paediatr Anaesth. 2008;18(9):857–864.
- Wolfson MR, Funanage VL, Kirwin SM, et al. Recombinant human Clara cell secretory protein treatment increases lung mRNA expression of surfactant proteins and vascular endothelial growth factor in a premature lamb model of respiratory distress syndrome. Am J Perinatol. 2008;25(10):637–645.
- Wolfson MR, Hirschl RB, Jackson JC, et al. Multicenter comparative study of conventional mechanical gas ventilation to tidal liquid ventilation in oleic acid injured sheep. Asaio J. 2008;54(3):256–269.
- Wolfson MR, Malone DJ, Wu J, et al. Intranasal perfluorochemical spray for preferential brain cooling in sheep. Neurocrit Care. 2008;8(3):437–447.
- Zhu Y, Miller TL, Chidekel A, Shaffer TH. KL4-surfactant (Lucinactant) protects human airway epithelium from hyperoxia. Pediatr Res. 2008;64(2):154–158.
- Zhu Y, Miller TL, Singhaus CJ, Shaffer TH, Chidekel A. Effects of oxygen concentration and exposure time on cultured human airway epithelial cells. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2008;9(2):224–229.
- Cullen AB, Cooke PH, Driska SP, Wolfson MR, Shaffer TH. Correlation of tracheal smooth muscle function with structure and protein expression during early development. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007;42(5):421–432.
- Miller TL, Altman AR, Tsuda T, Shaffer TH. An ultrasound imaging method for in vivo tracheal bulk and Young's moduli of elasticity. J Biomech. 2007;40(7):1615–1621.
- Miller TL, Shashikant BN, Pilon AL, Pierce RA, Shaffer TH, Wolfson MR. Effects of recombinant Clara cell secretory protein (rhCC10) on inflammatory-related matrix metalloproteinase activity in a preterm lamb model of neonatal respiratory distress. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2007;8(1):40–46.
- Miller TL, Zhu Y, Altman AR, Dysart K, Shaffer TH. Sequential alterations of tracheal mechanical properties in the neonatal lamb: effect of mechanical ventilation. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007;42(2):141–149.
- Singhaus CJ, Utidjian LH, Akins RE, Miller TL, Shaffer TH, Touch SM. Growth and development in a heliox incubator environment: a long-term safety study. Neonatology. 2007;91(1):28–35.
- Cullen AB, Cooke PH, Driska SP, Wolfson MR, Shaffer TH. The impact of mechanical ventilation on immature airway smooth muscle: functional, structural, histological, and molecular correlates. Biol Neonate. 2006;90(1):17–27.
- Miller TL, Cox T, Blackson T, Paul D, Weiss K, Shaffer TH. Pulmonary function assessment in an infant with Barnes syndrome: proactive evaluation for surgical intervention. Pediatrics. 2006;118(4):e1264–7.
- Miller TL, Singhaus CJ, Sherman TI, Greenspan JS, Shaffer TH. Physiologic implications of helium as a carrier gas for inhaled nitric oxide in a neonatal model of Bethanecol-induced bronchoconstriction. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2006;7(2):159–164.
- Miller TL, Touch SM, Shaffer TH. Matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase expression profiles in tracheal aspirates do not adequately reflect tracheal or lung tissue profiles in neonatal respiratory distress: observations from an animal model. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2006;7(1):63–69.
- Miller TL, Touch SM, Singhaus CJ, Ramesh Babu PB, Chidekel A, Shaffer TH. Expression of matrix metalloproteinases 2, 7 and 9, and their tissue inhibitors 1 and 2, in developing rabbit tracheae. Biol Neonate. 2006;89(4):236–243.
- Miller TL, Shashikant BN, Melby JM, Pilon AL, Shaffer TH, Wolfson MR. Recombinant human Clara cell secretory protein in acute lung injury of the rabbit: effect of route of administration. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2005;6(6):698–706.
