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Areck A. Ucuzian, MD, PhD

Academic Title:

Assistant Professor

Primary Appointment:

Surgery

Additional Title:

Assistant Professor Division of Vascular Surgery Department of Surgery

Location:

UMMC S10B00

Phone (Primary):

410-328-5840

Fax:

410-328-0717

Education and Training

Professional Training

Fellowship - Vascular Surgery; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Pittsburgh, PA

Residency - General Surgery;Loyola University Medical Center; Maywood,IL

Education

Loyola University Chicago; Maywood, IL

Ph.D.; Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy

Tufts University School of Medicine; Boston, MA

M.D.; Medicine

Cornell University, Arts and Sciences; Ithaca, NY

B.A.; Cell/Molecular Biology

Biosketch

Dr. Ucuzian is a vascular surgeon and scientist, Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and staff surgeon at the Baltimore Veterans Administration Medical Center.  He received his Bachelor of Arts at Cornell University, his Medical Degree at Tufts University, and his PhD from Loyola University Chicago. He completed general and vascular surgery training at Loyola University Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, respectively.  He received the Robert W. Hobson, II, MD Early Career Investigator Award from the Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease of the American Heart Association.  He is funded by an NIH K08 and SVS Foundation/American College of Surgeons Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award.  His research focuses on the molecular dysregulation associated with thoracic aortic dissection and aneurysm formation (TAAD), and the effect of exercise in modulating TAAD pathogenesis and patient quality of life. 

Research/Clinical Keywords

Aortic Disease Carotid Artery Disease Diabetic Foot Wounds Dialysis Access Surgery Limb Preservation Venous Disease

Highlighted Publications

  1. Pang Y, Wang X, Ucuzian AA, Brey EM, Burgess WH, Jones KJ, Alexander TD, Greisler HP. “Local Delivery of a Collagen-binding FGF-1 Chimera to Smooth Muscle Cells in Collagen Scaffolds for Vascular Tissue Engineering.” Biomaterials. 2010 Feb; 31(5): 878-885.
  2. Ucuzian AA, Brewster LP, East AT, Pang Y, Gassman AA, Greisler HP. “Characterization of the Chemotactic and Mitogenic Response of SMCs to PDGF-BB and FGF-2 in Fibrin Hydrogels.” J Biomed Mater Res A. 2010 Sep; 94(3): 988-996.
  3. Brewster LP, Ucuzian AA, Brey EM, Liwanag M, Samarel AM, Greisler HP. “FRNK Overexpression Limits the Depth and Frequency Of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Invasion in a Three-Dimensional Fibrin Matrix.” J Cell 2010 Nov; 225(2): 562-568.
  4. Gassman AA, Kuprys T, Ucuzian AA, Brey E, Matsumura A, Pang Y, Larson J, Greisler HP. “Three Dimensional 10% Cyclic Strain Reduces Bovine Aortic Endothelial Cell Angiogenic Sprout Length and Augments Tubulogenesis in Tubular Fibrin Hydrogels.” J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2011 May; 5(5): 375-383.
  5. Ucuzian AA, Bufalino DV, Pang Y, Greisler HP. “Angiogenic Endothelial Cell Invasion into Fibrin is Stimulated by Proliferating Smooth Muscle Cell.” Microvascular Research. Nov 22; 90:40-7. Epub 2013 Jul 22.
  6. Aicher BO, Mukhopadhyay S, Lu X, Muratoglu SC, Strickland DK, Ucuzian AA. “Quantitative micro-CT analysis of aortopathy in a mouse model of β-aminoproprionitrile-induced aortic aneurysm and dissection.” Journal of Visual Experimentation. 2018 Jul 16;(137).
  7. Farivar BS, Toursavadkohi S, Monahan TS, Sharma J, Ucuzian AA, Kundi R, Sarkar R, Lal BK. “Prospective study of cryopreserved placental tissue wound matrix in the management of chronic venous leg ulcers.” J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2019 Jan 6.
  8. Yu D, Gernapudi R, Drucker C, Sarkar R, Ucuzian A, Monahan TS. “The myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate differentially regulates kinase interacting with stathmin in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells and potentiates intimal hyperplasia formation.” J Vasc Surg. 2019 Mar 28.[Epub ahead of print]
  9. Hosseini M, Sahajwani S, Zhang J, Toursavadkohi S, Ucuzian AA. Delayed stroke after hospitalization for COVID-19 pneumonia from common and internal carotid artery thrombosis. Journal of Vascular Surgery Cases and Innovative Techniques. 2020 Nov 10.
  10. Aicher BO, Zhang J, Muratoglu S, Galisteo R, Arai AL, Gray VL, Lal BK, Strickland DK, Ucuzian AA. Moderate Aerobic Exercise Prevents Matrix Degradation and Death in a Mouse Model of Aortic Dissection and Aneurysm. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology. 2021 Feb 26.

Research Interests

My prior research work focused on vascular tissue engineering, and the study of growth factors as tools for the engineering of micro-vasculatures in tissue engineered blood vessels.  Since accepting a faculty position at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, I have worked with Dr. Dudley Strickland, to investigate the role of LRP1 in vascular disease.  My current project builds on my experience in growth factors and vascular disease focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of aortic dissection and aneurysm.  We study this using both animal models and studies with human subjects.  We have identified in animal models that aerobic exercise has a profoundly beneficial effect in aortic dissection.  Mechanistic studies are underway.  I currently have ongoing clinical research projects and am the site Principal Investigator for a national randomized control trial BEST-CLI, comparing endovascular and open surgery in critical limb ischemia.  Additionally, I am the princial investigator of a quality of life assessment of patients with chronic aortic dissections and am preparing a human subject trial evaluating physical activity and exercise in aortic dissection.  

https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/Vascular-Research/

https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/cvid/

Clinical Specialty Details

My clinical interests include the broad spectrum of vascular disease including open and endovascular treatments for peripheral arterial disease, venous disease, carotid disease, dialysis access, and aortic disease.  

Awards and Affiliations

Heart and Vascular Surgical Services, Vascular Surgery

Vascular Surgery - Board Certified

 

Highlighted Honors and Awards

2004                Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, Tufts University School of Medicine

2007                Best Basic Science Paper Presentation, 31st Annual Meeting of the Association of VA Surgeons, Little Rock, AR          

2017                Recipient, Robert W. Hobson, II, MD Early Career Investigator Award, Council of Peripheral Vascular Disease, American Heart Association

Grants and Contracts

Active Grants             

12/10/2019-                PI (75% Effort)

11/30/2024                  “Mechanisms of aortopathy in LRP1 deficiency.”

NIH 1K08HL146893-01A1

 

05/05/2018-Present     Site PI

“Best Endovascular vs. Best Surgical Therapy in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia (BEST-CLI)”

NHLBI

 

06/01/2020-05/31/2025                  PI (75% Effort)

“Mechanisms of aortopathy in LRP1 deficiency.”

2020 SVS Foundation/American College of Surgeons Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award

In the News

Professional Activity

2004-2013       Member, American College of Surgeons Candidate Group     

2007-2008       Member, North American Vascular Biology Organization Trainee Group

2008-2009       Candidate Member, Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society

2017-Current   Early Career Member, American Heart Association, PVD Council

2017-Current   Member, Eastern Vascular Society

2018-Current   Member; Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, Society for Vascular Surgery

2018-Current   Member, Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Society

2018-2019       Physician Member – National, American Venous Forum

2018-Current   Member, Associate Fellow, American College of Surgeons

2018-Current   Member, Association of VA Surgeons

Links of Interest