2024 Wylie Scholar

Patric Liang, MD

Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Attending Vascular Surgeon, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

“Our goal is to improve the durability of prosthetic grafts used in lower extremity bypass surgery. Our research investigations will ultimately give patients a safer and better long-term option for treatment of their peripheral arterial disease, thus reducing the risk of limb loss.”

Dr. Patric Liang, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, has been selected as the 2024 Wylie Scholar Award recipient for his proposed project, Biodegradable Hydrogels for Perivascular Delivery of Targeted Gene Therapy to Improve Prosthetic Bypass Graft Patency. Dr. Liang intends to investigate the clinical translation and applicability of a novel gel developed by his team, designed for application to the artery during bypass surgery. This gel delivers siRNA therapeutics, which safely and effectively block specific genes that are responsible for driving prosthetic graft failure. His research currently centers on optimizing the efficiency and efficacy of our hydrogel delivery platform, by increasing the time of sustained siRNA delivery, increasing gel adherence to the vessel wall to prevent mechanical disruption, and promoting unidirectional vascular delivery to minimize off-target effects to surrounding tissues. Implementation of this gel has the potential to reduce the incidence of prosthetic bypass graft failure, a condition strongly linked to adverse molecular responses.

Dr. Liang’s research is driven by his clinical experience in limb salvage and the critical need to improve outcomes for patients suffering from early vein graft failure and poor prosthetic graft patency. Drawing on insights from his daily practice in the operating room, he develops innovative research strategies to address unmet clinical needs in vascular surgery and ensures the translatability of his findings into clinical practice. Through the Wylie Scholar grant, Dr. Liang aims to advance basic science research, foster collaborations, and contribute impactful discoveries to the field of surgical science, particularly in the realm of biomaterials and targeted-gene therapy.