Mark Holterman, MD is a former surgeon at Rush Medical Center that currently applies his expertise in pediatric surgery as a professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria. Prior to his current work, Dr. Mark Holterman served at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, St Francis Medical Center.While at the Children’s Hospital, Dr. Holterman helped complete the first trachea transplant for a child. Over the course of nine hours, a 32 month old korean toddler received a stem cell engineered trachea. The cutting edge operation also utilized a non-absorbable nanofiber tracheal scaffold and bioreactor from Harvard BioScience and a Biospherix XVIVO cell incubation and processing system.The XVIVO cell incubation and processing system allows the cell structures to be grown and stored through a closed system with closed off hoods and cell incubators. Cell incubators of the system, which is modular in design, are integrated into the hood system to avoid contamination risk and reduce volatility. The system also allows additional cell incubators to be incorporated as needed, and each can be customized depending on the specific cell cultures.For additional information on the XVIVO system, visit www.biospherix.com.
A board-certified pediatric surgeon with nearly three decades of experience in the field, Mark Holterman, MD, currently serves as a professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Committed to advancing medicine, Dr. Mark Holterman supports the efforts of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Senior citizens in the United States a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with more than 25 percent of those aged 60 and over living with the disease. That’s why the ADA recently came out in support of a major new initiative known as the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP). This program will serve as an awareness and intervention platform with the goal of reducing the rate of diagnosis by providing support to community providers who, in turn, will be better equipped to provide screening and other services to at-risk communities. The new program will not only help reduce the rate of type 2 diabetes in seniors but will also help deal with rising health care costs that come from treating the illness.
Working at the University of Illinois College of Medicine as a professor of surgery and pediatrics, Dr. Mark Holterman has an interest in the field of biotechnology. Mark Holterman, MD, serves on the board of several organizations, including the Alliance for the Advancement of Cellular Therapies (AACT).One of the leading organizations supporting a Registry of Cell Therapy, AACT believes that establishing a well-curated registry will help address many of the common criticisms about the use of cell therapy, such as concerns about incomplete patient data and the variable quality of stem cells. The proposed registry would also ensure that stem cells are used only for valid treatment strategies according to review board protocols. With a registry, researchers also could address concerns about unreliable data by identifying standardized metrics to apply at uniform points in time by objective observers. Finally, the registry would allow the Food and Drug Administration to audit every aspect of stem cell research data to evaluate safety and efficacy.
A physician with an extensive background in stem cell research, Dr. Mark J. Holterman engages with the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria as attending pediatric surgeon and professor. Mark Holterman, MD, also guides the Alliance for the Advancement of Cellular Therapies as cofounder and seeks out strategies for advancing the field through dialogue with diverse constituencies including patients, scientists, elected officials, regulatory bodies, and health care organizations. Stem cell therapy has had a revolutionary role in advancing the treatment of various human diseases over the past three decades. In the 1980s, a landmark use of this type of therapy was employed in Mexico for the neurodegenerative condition Parkinson's disease (PD). Though outcomes were variable, the science has progressively advanced, with promising treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as PD, Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis coming online. With neurodegenerative diseases involving the structural and functional loss, or death, of neurons, such conditions share a number of similarities. Unfortunately, currently accessible neurosurgical and pharmacological approaches do not halt the progression of underlying degenerative processes. This makes stem cell therapy a vital area of research in combatting them.
A professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Mark Holterman, MD, has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and abstracts on various medical and surgical concepts. Dr. Mark Holterman also supports the International Pediatric Specialists Alliance for the Children of VietNam (IPSAC-VN), a nonprofit that enhances medical care for children in Vietnam through collaboration from clinical teams and support personnel. The organization also enables health care providers in Vietnam to further their education through the IPSAC-VN Scholar Program. Scholars accepted into the program receive funding and resources to pursue a medical education at a US medical school accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Scholarship recipients receive a $2,500 grant toward the cost of educational expenses, travel, and room and board for a period of one to two months, during which time they will observe US clinical practices and engage in translation research. The program is open to both licensed and in-training nurses, physicians, and allied medical personnel. Program applicants must possess a good grasp of the English language and the ability to converse. Additionally, applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from their home institution that confirms their commitment to enhancing the institution’s quality of care. The IPSAC-VN and the host medical institution will also grant scholars who finish the program a certificate of completion.
An experienced pediatric surgeon, Dr. Mark Holterman has served as a professor of surgery and pediatrics at the University of Illinois College of Medicine for the past six years. Outside of his work as an educator, Mark Holterman, MD, is a longtime member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In the wake of recent hurricanes throughout the southeastern region of the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released guidelines for communities to ensure children remain safe and healthy as cleanup efforts continue. According to AAP officials, children are especially vulnerable to illness as a result of exposure to toxic substances present in floodwaters that linger after a hurricane--contamination that remains even after the waters recede. To ensure safety, children should not be brought back to flood-affected school areas until the buildings and playground equipment have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Additionally, drinking water should be restored and large items of debris cleared out before kids come back, and they should not be involved in the cleanup work in any capacity.
Pediatric surgeon Mark Holterman, MD, teaches medical students and residents as a professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. In addition to this, he researches a wide range of topics relating to pediatric surgery. Over the years, Dr. Mark Holterman has published dozens of papers and maintained a clinical interest in such topics as autoimmune diseases.Although autoimmune disorders, such as Addison’s disease, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis, are rare among children, they can still occur. These conditions may appear either on their own or with another autoimmune disorder when present in children and may be caused by environmental factors, heredity, or hormonal factors. In most cases, children with autoimmune disease experience varying symptoms depending on the specific condition they have. However, parents can be on the lookout for signs that a child’s immune system is having problems. These signs include weight loss, low-grade fever, and fatigue. Children with an autoimmune disease may also develop rashes or skin lesions and their hair may become more brittle than usual.Since many of these symptoms can be attributed to common illnesses, parents should make sure they know the cause behind their child’s illness. If no clear cause can be found, it’s a good idea to have a pediatrician check for illness. If they suspect that an autoimmune disease is to blame, they will refer the child to a specialist.
