Smith/Malhotra Laboratory

Deborah Gorth, Sc.M.

M.D./Ph.D. Student
Jefferson University

Former Lab Position

Research Engineer

Hometown

Amherst, Maryland

Education

Sc.B. Biomedical Engineering, Brown UniversitySc.M. Biomedical Engineering, Brown University

Clinical Interest

Adult reconstructive surgery

Areas of Special Interest

Intervertebral disc degeneration can debilitate individual patients and results in an annual societal cost exceeding $50 billion in the United States alone. Definitive surgical interventions exist, but increasing age is associated with increasing risk as comorbidities accumulate. My research aims to develop a comprehensive therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration that is less invasive than open surgery, and more effective than current non-surgical options. This therapy will combine anti-inflammatory treatment, mechanical stabilization, and tissue regeneration into a single percutaneous injection to treat intervertebral disc degeneration.

Publications

Gorth DJ, Mauck RL, Chiaro JA, Mohanraj B, Hebela NM, Dodge GR, Elliott DM, Smith LJ.(2012) IL-1ra delivered from poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres attenuates IL-1B-mediated degradation of nucleus pulposus in vitro. Arthritis Res Ther. 2012 Aug 3;14(4):R179.

Gorth DJ, Puckett S, Ercan B, Webster TJ, Rahaman M, Bal BS. (2012) Decreased bacteria activity on Si(3)N(4) surfaces compared with PEEK or titanium.Int J Nanomedicine. 2012;7:4829-40.

Gorth, DJ, Rand DM and Webster TJ, (2011) Silver nanoparticle toxicity in Drosophila: size does matter. International Journal of Nanomedicine, 6: 343-350. Gorth, DJ., and Webster, TJ. (2010) Matrices for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. In Lysaght M. and Webster, T. (Eds.), Biomaterials for artificial organs, Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing Ltd.

Gorth, D., and Webster, T. (2010) Nanotechnology for Regenerative Medicine. AzONano.

Abstracts

Gorth, D J; Martin, J T; Dodge G R; Hebela N M; Mauck R L; Elliott, D M; Smith L J. In Vivo Delivery of IL-1ra from PLGA Microspheres Prevents IL-1B Induced Glycosaminoglycan Loss in the Rat Caudal Intervertebral Disc. To be presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2013 January 26-29; San Antonio, TX.

Gorth, D J; Elliott, D M; Mauck R L; Chen, W; Smith, L J; Malhotra, N R. Mechanical Properties and Cyto-Compatibility of an Injectable Hydrogel Implant for Nucleus Pulposus Repair. To be presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2013 January 26-29; San Antonio, TX.

Gorth, D J; Elliott, D M; Mauck R L; Chen, W; Smith, L J; Malhotra, N R. Mechanical Properties and Cyto-Compatibility of an Injectable Hydrogel Implant for Nucleus Pulposus Repair. To be presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2013 January 26-29; San Antonio, TX.

Kim, DH; Gorth, DJ; Elliott, DM; Smith, LJ; Mauck, RL. Functional Maturation of an Engineered Nucleus Pulposus in Photocrosslinked Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels. To be presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2013 January 26-29; San Antonio, TX.

Martin, JT; Smith, LJ; Gorth, DJ; Adan, A; Hebela, NM; Elliott, DM; Mauck, RL. Nanofibrous disc-like angle ply structures maintain disc height in the rat caudal spine. To be presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2013 January 26-29; San Antonio, TX.

Smith LJ; Gorth, DJ; Martin, JT; Chiaro JA; Dodge GR; Hebela NM; Mauck RL; Elliott, DM. In Vivo Delivery of IL-1ra from PLGA Microspheres Prevents IL-1B Induced Glycosaminoglycan Loss in the Rat Caudal Intervertebral Disc. Presented at: Gordon Research Conference: Musculoskeletal Biology & Bioengineering, August 5-10; Andover, NH.

Gorth DJ, Strutz W, Mohanraj B, Mauck RL, Smith LJ, Dodge GR. Sustained Delivery of IL-1ra from PLGA Microspheres Attenuates IL-1B Mediated Inflammaion in a Cartilage Tissue Analog. To be presented at: Osteoarthritis Research Society International, 2012 April 26-29; Barcelona ES.

Gorth DJ., Chiaro JA., Dodge GR., Hebela NM., Mauck RL., Elliot DM., Smith LJ. Sustained Delivery of IL-1ra from PLGA Microspheres Attenuates IL-1B Mediated Degredation of Engineered Nucleus Pulposus. Presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2012 February 4-7; San Francisco, CA.

Martin JT, Beattie EE, Gorth DJ, Smith LJ, Elliot DM Mechanical and Biochemical Consequences of Needle Puncture Injury in the Mouse Caudal Disc. Presented at: Orthopedic Research Society, 2012 February 4-7; San Francisco, CA.

Gorth DJ., Chiaro JA., Dodge GR., Hebela NM., Mauck RL., Elliot DM., Smith LJ. IL-1ra Delivered from PLGA Microspheres Attenuates IL-1B Mediated Degredation of Engineered Nucleus Pulposus. Presented at: Philadelphia Spine Research Symposium, 2011 Nov 16-18; Philadelphia, PA.

Gorth DJ, Rand DM, and Webster TJ, Silver nanoparticle toxicity in vivo, Poster session presented at: Materials Research Society Fall Meeting; 2010 Nov 29-Dec 3; Boston, MA.

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