{"id":11990,"date":"2025-07-07T11:17:35","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T15:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/ct\/?post_type=ud_entry&#038;p=11990"},"modified":"2025-12-22T08:50:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T13:50:33","slug":"adam-akerman-phd","status":"publish","type":"ud_entry","link":"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/ct\/people\/adam-akerman-phd\/","title":{"rendered":"Adam Akerman, PhD"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"57\" data-end=\"420\">Dr. Adam Akerman\u2019s vision is to establish an inclusive environment where scientists, medical professionals, and researchers can creatively collaborate to investigate and analyze disease pathology. He aims to bridge the healthcare gap by pioneering more accessible, affordable treatments\u2014especially for communities historically denied equal access to quality care.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"422\" data-end=\"610\">Early in his graduate career, he committed to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in STEM. Though the challenge was daunting, he remained determined to drive real change.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"612\" data-end=\"947\">As director of the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory in UNC\u2019s Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Dr. Akerman has recruited, mentored, and worked alongside individuals from a wide range of communities\u2014valuing each as a scientist and professional first. He believes success should be measured by those we empower, not those we exclude.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"949\" data-end=\"1234\">His work focuses on developing inexpensive, scalable therapeutics and diagnostics. To support this mission, he established a translational research facility, small animal surgical lab, and a large clinical tissue and plasma repository to advance cardiovascular research and innovation.<\/p>\n<h4>Cardiovascular Research Laboratory<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Protein Simple Jess System &#8211; A capillary-based nano-immunoassay size-based separation platform with chemiluminescent, two-color fluorescence detection and RePlex\u2122.<\/li>\n<li>Bio-Rad ddPCR workstation, which includes a QX-200 droplet generator, a Qx-200 Droplet reader, laptop with QuantaSoft Software, and a dedicated C-1000 Touch thermocycler.<\/li>\n<li>Izon Science qNano Gold Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensor (TRPS).<\/li>\n<li>qEV Automatic Fraction Collector (Izon Science).<\/li>\n<li>Luminex LX-200 \u2013 An immune based multiplex suspension array platform that provides a robust, rapid, specific, and cost-effective approach for high-throughput and simultaneous quantification of many different protein targets simultaneously.<\/li>\n<li>Applied Biosystems StepOne Plus with dedicated laptop and Bio-Rad CFX96 Real-Time PCR Systems.<\/li>\n<li>Molecular Devices SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Detection Platform and Imaging Cytometer complete with SpectraDrop micro-volume microplate and a ScanLater WesternBlot cartridge.<\/li>\n<li>Molecular Devices Aquamax 2000 automated plate washing station with standard and 96 well cell-wash heads with magnetic stage.<\/li>\n<li>Bio-Rad C-1000 touch two-block gradient thermocycler.<\/li>\n<li>A dedicated 37<sup>0<\/sup>C incubator for bacterial culture and plasmid preparation.<\/li>\n<li>Echo Labs Revolve hybrid upright and inverted LED 8 MP microscope with air and oil objectives ranging from 4X to 60X (Achromat and Fluorite), an ELWD hi resolution condenser, and multiple LED filter sets.<\/li>\n<li>The Cardiothoracic Surgery Research Murine Procedure Facility is equipped with rodent operating stations, each with a high-quality surgical microscope (0.5-2.5X, Zeiss Opmi6), a thermostatically controlled far infrared warming pad and multi-functioning surgical platform (Kent Scientific), an isoflurane vaporizer (Ohmeda) connected to controlled-flow oxygen lines, and a small animal ventilator (VentElite, Harvard Apparatus).<\/li>\n<li>Dedicated BSL-2 cell culture facility.<\/li>\n<li>BTX-800-ECM <em>in vitro <\/em>and <em>in vivo <\/em>Electroporation system.<\/li>\n<li>Bacterial Transformation and Expression Vector Production Facility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Awards, Honors, and Funded Projects<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Enhanced Biochemical Monitoring for Aortic Aneurysm Disease<\/strong><br \/>\nNIH\/NHLBI 1 R01 HL169390-01<br \/>\nAkerman (PI)<br \/>\nJuly 01, 2023-June 30 2027<br \/>\nAortic Aneurysm (AA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality; AAs weaken the vessel wall and lead to dilation that often progresses to rupture in the absence of symptoms. There are no point-of-care diagnostic tests available that either screen for AAs or follow disease progression to optimize timing for surgical intervention. This award will advance a standardized screening technique that determines aneurysm presence, location, and diameter; such information may be used for risk stratification and will surely mitigate life-threatening aortic complications in the general population.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Device-Based Pathway Intervention: Mechanistic Study of Cellular Localization of Proteolytic Enzymes in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Disease<\/strong><br \/>\nNIH\/NHLBI R56 HL161454-01A1<br \/>\nIkonomidis (PI) Role: Co-Investigator<br \/>\nSeptember 22, 2022 \u2013 September 21, 2023<br \/>\nThoracic aortic aneurysm is a deadly disease for which there is currently no effective medical therapy. This laboratory has identified three molecules that mediate the formation and progression of aneurysm disease; our approach is clinically relevant and will study the functions of these molecules in order to develop new methods for non-surgical treatment. The myriad benefits of such treatment are self-evident; we are, however, particularly interested in bridging the current health gap by pioneering better, more accessible, ways to treat all patients and ensuring democratized access to the highest quality care.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Investigating the Effects of Bupropion (Wellbutrin\/Zyban) On Aortic Aneurysm<\/strong><br \/>\n2022 Innovation Pilot Award<br \/>\nCaranasos (PI) Role: Co-Investigator<br \/>\nJune 1, 2022 \u2013 May 31, 2023<br \/>\nThe FDA-approved antidepressant, Bupropion, has been demonstrated to regulate two independent pathways involved with aortic aneurysm progression. The overall goal of this project is to demonstrate Bupropion prevents aneurysm progression in an animal model.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Development of a Liquid Biopsy Based Diagnostic Test for Assessing Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Disease<\/strong><br \/>\n2021 UNC Idea Grant<br \/>\nAkerman (PI)<br \/>\nJuly 1, 2021 \u2013 June 30, 2022<\/p>\n<p><strong>Defining the role of mesenchymal stem cells in aortic aneurysm disease<\/strong><br \/>\n2021 Junior Faculty Development Award<br \/>\nAkerman (PI)<br \/>\nJanuary 1, 2021 &#8211; December 31, 2021<\/p>\n<p><strong>Development of a method for targeted gene delivery to the murine thoracic aorta<\/strong><br \/>\n2021 North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute Pilot Award: 2KR1352001<br \/>\nAkerman (PI)<br \/>\n4\/1\/2021-3\/30\/2022<\/p>\n<p><strong>Exploration of key proteases and validation of biomarkers in genetically triggered thoracic aortic aneurysms<\/strong><br \/>\nNIH\/NHLBI R21HL148363<br \/>\nIkonomidis (PI) Role: Co-Investigator<br \/>\n08\/01\/19-07\/31\/21<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ex-vivo lung perfusion to deliver nucleic acids to cells in human lungs<\/strong><br \/>\nCystic Fibrosis Foundation<br \/>\nEgan (PI), Role: Co-Investigator<br \/>\n2\/1\/2020-1\/31\/22<\/p>\n<p><strong>Transmembrane Proteolytic Induction and Thoracic Aneurysms <\/strong>NIH\/NHLBI R01HL102121<br \/>\nIkonomidis (PI) Role: Co-Investigator<br \/>\n4\/1\/2010-4\/30\/2021<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Raymond S. Greenberg Presidential Scholar, Medical University of South Carolina. (2016-2017) A yearlong inter-professional experience that maximizes exploration of complex social, political, and human issues related to healthcare.<\/p>\n<p>Eric James Award Recipient, Medical University of South Carolina (2016) \u2013 First place oral presentation award recipient of a university-wide research competition.<\/p>\n<p>NIH\/NHLBI T32 Cardiovascular Competitive Training Grant Recipient: HL007260-37 (2013-2015).<\/p>\n<h4>Publications<\/h4>\n<p>Read a list of Dr. Akerman&#8217;s recent publications by clicking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/ct\/adam-akerman-phd-publications\/\">here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Search for publications on\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PubMed<\/a>\u00a0using <b>Akerman, AW<\/b>\u00a0as search criteria<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":11991,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"layout":"","cellInformation":"","apiCallInformation":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"ud_division":[55],"class_list":["post-11990","ud_entry","type-ud_entry","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","ud_division-non-attending-faculty","odd"],"pp_force_visibility":null,"pp_subpost_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_force_visibility":null,"pp_inherited_subpost_visibility":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Adam Akerman, PhD - Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.med.unc.edu\/surgery\/ct\/people\/adam-akerman-phd\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Adam Akerman, PhD - Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dr. Adam Akerman\u2019s vision is to establish an inclusive environment where scientists, medical professionals, and researchers can creatively collaborate to investigate and analyze disease pathology. 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