Hitesh Handa doesn’t think a hospital stay for one problem should turn into another.

But that’s exactly what happens to tens of thousands of people every year when their central lines or catheters become infected during hospital stays. 

Lucky for future hospital patients, Handa, an associate professor of engineering at the University of Georgia, is developing coatings for medical devices to keep patients from contracting potentially deadly infections. 

These coatings release nitric oxide, a powerful gas found naturally in the body that keeps blood flowing and staves off infection. It can also prevent bacteria from multiplying on the devices and causing disease.

Learn more about Dr. Handa's research in this Great Commitments profile.

Education

Ph.D., Material Science and Engineering, Wayne State University, 2008
M.S., Material Science and Engineering, Wayne State University, 2007
B.S., Polymer Science and Chemical Technology, Delhi College of Engineering, India, 2002

Professional Appointments

• Associate Professor, University of Georgia College of Engineering, 2020 - present
• Assistant Professor, University of Georgia College of Engineering, 2015 - 2020
• Research Investigator, University of Michigan Health System (Department of General Surgery) 2012 - 2014
• Research Specialist Lead, University of Michigan Health System (Department of General Surgery), 2010 - 2012
• Research Assistant, Wayne State University, 2003 - 2008
• Teaching Assistant, Wayne State University, 2005

Other Professional Experience

• Consultant, MC3, Inc. 2011 - present
• Scientific Advisor, Accord Biosciences, 2011 
• Development Engineer, Accord Biomaterials, 2008 - 2011

Area of Specialty

• Translational Research
• Biomaterials for Medical Device Applications
• Nitric Oxide Releasing Materials
• Blood-Material Interactions
• Hemocompatible Materials
• Antibacterial Coatings
• Microfluidics
• Wound Healing Materials
• Tissue Engineering
• Animal Models

Publications and Scholarly Articles

Google Scholar Page

Patents

Nitric oxide releasing ultra-slippery antibacterial surfaces for indwelling catheter applications 

Nitric Oxide Releasing Halloysite Nanotubes for Biomedical Applications 

Nitric oxide-releasing packaging membranes 
U.S. Patent 10,494,493

Sustained nitric oxide release coating using diazeniumdiolate-doped polymer matrix with ester capped poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) additive
U.S. Patent 9,566,372

Amphotericin B Immobilization to Medical Grade Polymers 

Silk Nanoparticles: A Natural Polymeric Platform for Nitric Oxide (NO) Delivery in Biomedical Applications 

Bio-inspired Polydopamine-assisted Aqueous Colloidal Fluoropolymer Coating on Nitric Oxide Releasing Medical Grade Polymer for Biomedical Application 

Nitric Oxide Releasing Ampicillin as a Strategy for Combatting and Preventing Bacterial Biofilm Formation 

Nitric Oxide Releasing Coated Prosthetic Vascular Grafts 
European Patent 3826628A1

Achieving long-term thromboresistant and antimicrobial silicone via covalently immobilized S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) that exhibits 4 months of sustained nitric oxide release 

Antibacterial and Instant Clot Forming Wound Dressing for Traumatic Injuries 

Surface Immobilized Nitric Oxide Donor for Multi-Functional Non-Fouling, Antithrombotic, and Bactericidal Surfaces 

Bioinspired wound dressing with highly effective antimicrobial potential 

Photochemically attached, permanent attachment of anti-fouling and anti-fogging coatings onto any surface. 

Bio-Templated Synthesis and Characterization of Mesoporous Nitric Oxide-Releasing Diatomaceous Earth Silica Particles

Nitric oxide releasing slippery surfaces for decreased fouling, thrombosis, and infection of medical devices 

Nitric oxide-releasing polymer filling for biomedical tubing applications 

Thromboresistant/bactericidal S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP)-doped nitric oxide release polymers with enhanced stability
US 2015/0366831 A1

Sustained nitric oxide release coating using diazeniumdiolate-doped polymer matrix with ester capped poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) additive
US 2015/0238662 A1

Recent Honors and Awards

• Inaugural University of Georgia Innovation Fellow, 2019
• University of Georgia Fred C. Davidson Early Career Scholar Award, 2019
• NIH K25 Career Development Award, 2013-2018
• University of Georgia Lilly Teaching Fellow, 2016-2018
• Young Investigator Award, Southern Translational Education and Research (STaR) Conference, 2015

Links

Handa Research Group