Alexandra May

Trainee

May alexandria

Alexandra May

Faculty Mentor: William Federspiel

Research: 

Acute and chronic lung failure continue to be significant sources of adult and pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide. Mechanical ventilation has conventionally been used to treat these patients however this can further injure the lungs. Extracorporeal respiratory assist devices provide the required level of respiratory support independent of the lungs through a gas exchanging hollow fiber membrane bundle. This allows for ‘lung rest’. Current extracorporeal devices typically restrict patient mobility which leads to muscle deconditioning and poorer patient outcomes. Ms. May’s research is focused on further developing the adult low-flow extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) and the pediatric full respiratory support applications of the Modular Extracorporeal Lung Assist System (ModELAS). The ModELAS is a highly compact device which integrates the centrifugal blood pump and gas exchanging hollow fiber membrane bundle in to a single unit to allow simplified patient ambulation. Through a simple exchange of the hollow fiber membrane bundle, the ModELAS is able to provide 3 levels of respiratory support: full adult support, full pediatric support, and partial adult CO2 removal. 

Publications:

  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel. Acute In Vivo Performance of the Pittsburgh Pediatric Ambulatory Lung. ASAIO Journal. (2018) PMID: 30507846.
  • A.G. May, R.G. Jeffries, B.J. Frankowski, G.W. Burgreen, W.J. Federspiel. Bench Validation of a Compact Low-Flow CO2 Removal Device. Intensive Care Medicine - Experimental. (2018) PMID: 30251223.
  • T.S. Harter, A.G. May, W.J. Federspiel, C.T. Supuran, C.J. Brauner. The time-course of red blood cell intracellular pH recovery following short-circuiting in relation to venous transit times in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. (2018)
  • R.A. Orizondo, A.G. May, S.P. Madhani, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel. In Vitro Characterization of the Pittsburgh Pediatric Ambulatory Lung Device. ASAIO J. (2017)
  • A.G. May, A. Sen, M.E. Cove, J.A. Kellum, W.J. Federspiel. Extracorporeal CO2 Removal by Hemodialysis: In vitro Model and Feasibility. Intensive Care Medicine – Experimental. (2017)

Conferences:

  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel. Acute In Vivo Performance of a Pediatric Ambulatory Artificial Lung. Presented at the 64th Annual American Society for Artificial and Internal Organs Conference. 2018. Washington, DC
  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel. Acute In Vivo Performance of a Pediatric Ambulatory Artificial Lung. Presented at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Annual Retreat. 2019. Pittsburgh, PA
  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, E. Kocyildirim, J. D’Cunha, W.J. Federspiel. 7-day In Vivo Performance of a Low-Flow Extracorporeal CO2 Removal Device. Presented at the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Annual Retreat. 2019. Pittsburgh, PA
  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel (2018). Acute In Vivo Performance of a Pediatric Ambulatory Artificial Lung. Presented at the American Society for Artificial Organs. Washington, DC
  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel (2018). Acute In Vivo Performance of a Pediatric Ambulatory Artificial Lung. Poster session presented at the meeting of McGowan Institute Scientific Retreat. Pittsburgh, PA.
  • A.G. May, R.A. Orizondo, B.J. Frankowski, P.D. Wearden, W.J. Federspiel (2017). In vitro Characterization and In vivo Performance of the Pittsburgh Pediatric Ambulatory Lung Device. Presented at the 13th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion. Rome, Italy
  • A.G. May, R.G. Jeffries, B.F. Frankowski, G. Burgreen, & WJ Federspiel (2017). In Vitro Testing of an Integrated, Low Flow Extracorporeal CO2 Removal Device. (2017) Presented at the European Society of Artificial Organs September. Vienna, Austria
  • A.G. May, A. Sen, M.E. Cove, J.A. Kellum, W.J. Federspiel (2016). Extracorporeal CO2 Removal by Hemodialysis: A Bench In-vitro Feasibility Study. (2016) Presented at the American Society of Internal and Artificial Organs 62nd Annual Conference. San Francisco, CA

Ms. May’s research is focused on further developing the adult low-flow extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2R) and the pediatric full respiratory support applications of the Modular Extracorporeal Lung Assist System (ModELAS).