Hitesh Handa, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

706-542-8109

hhanda@uga.edu

0415 Riverbend Research Labs South
220 Riverbend Road
Athens, Georgia 30602
United States

Advancing Medical Devices through Translational Research

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

Awards & Honors

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

Areas of Expertise

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

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

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