David Joel Hackam, MD, PhD

Professional Titles

• Surgeon-in-Chief, Johns Hopkins Children's Center
• Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Children's Center

Primary Academic Title

Professor of Pediatric Surgery

Background

Centers and Institutes

• Johns Hopkins Children's Center
• Pediatric Trauma
• The Hopkins Resource for Intestinal Vitality and Enhancement (THRIVE)

X (Twitter)

https://www.twitter.com/davidhackam

Videos

• Meet Our Expert: Dr. David Hackam

• 2017 NEC Symposium Highlight Reel

• Pediatric Surgery | FAQ with Dr. David Hackam

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

• Esteemed Surgeon-Scientist Named Pediatric Surgeon-in-Chief at Johns Hopkins (August 18, 2014)

Additional Academic Titles

Professor of Genetic Medicine, Professor of Cell Biology

Research Interests

Artificial Intestine, Autism, Gut-Brain Disorders, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Necrotizing Enterocolitis, Neurocognitive Impairment, Short Bowel Syndrome

Lab Website

The Hackam Lab - Lab Website

• The Hackam lab performs translational research into the mechanisms of necrotizing enterocolitis, which is the leading cause of death in premature infants from gastrointestinal disease. Our work has identified a series of novel pathways that, in response to the abnormal microflora that characterizes the premature intestine, leads to intestinal mucosal barrier breakdown, bacterial translocation, mesenteric vasoconstriction, and NEC. In seeking to translate these findings to clinical studies, we have developed a family of molecules that can prevent NEC development, and which have in part been licensed for clinical development. In additional work, we have developed a prototype artificial intestine, derived from patient-specific intestine stem cells, which we have implanted into mice and piglets, for the treatment of short bowel syndrome, a devastating complication of NEC. Finally, using single-cell RNA-seq and cell tracking technology, we have worked towards understanding and treating NEC-associated brain injury, a major complication of NEC, and have engineered nanoparticle-packaged molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier, and reverse the processes that lead to this disease. These studies are funded by three ro1s, a T32, a MIRA (a maximizing investigators' research award), and 3 industry grants from companies with an interest in NEC treatment and prevention.

PubMed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Hackam%2C+David+J%5BFull+Author+Name%5D

Selected Publications

• Banfield E, Fulton W, Burd I, Kovler ML, Sodhi CP, Hackam DJ. The role of in utero endotoxin exposure in the development of inflammatory bowel disease in mice. Am J Reprod Immunol. 2020 Oct;84(4):e13302. doi: 10.1111/aji.13302. Epub 2020 Aug 4

• Kovler ML, Hackam DJ. Generating an Artificial Intestine for the Treatment of Short Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2019 Dec;48(4):585-605. doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2019.08.011. Epub 2019 Oct 4

• Kovler ML, Sodhi CP, Hackam DJ. Precision-based modeling approaches for necrotizing enterocolitis. Dis Model Mech. 2020 Jun 24;13(6):dmm044388. doi: 10.1242/dmm.044388. PMID: 32764156 Free PMC article. Review

• Lu P, Yamaguchi Y, Fulton WB, Wang S, Zhou Q, Jia H, Kovler ML, Salazar AG, Sampah M, Prindle T Jr, Wipf P, Sodhi CP, Hackam DJ. Maternal aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation protects newborns against necrotizing enterocolitis. Nat Commun. 2021 Feb 15;12(1):1042. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21356-4. PMID: 33589625 Free PMC article

• Zhou Q, Niño DF, Yamaguchi Y, Wang S, Fulton WB, Jia H, Lu P, Prindle T Jr, Pamies D, Morris M, Chen LL, Sodhi CP, Hackam DJ. Necrotizing enterocolitis induces T lymphocyte-mediated injury in the developing mammalian brain. Sci Transl Med. 2021 Jan 6;13(575):eaay6621. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay6621. PMID: 33408187

Honors

• Roberta Simmons Chair Honoree
• Watson Award Nominee, Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Society (Nominated by University of Pittsburgh medical students)
• Who's Who in Medical Sciences Education
• Exceptional Patient Satisfaction Award, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
• University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Excellence in Education Awards Nominee (Nominated by 1st & 2nd year medical students)
• Outstanding Surgeon Award, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
• Outstanding Surgeon Award Nominee, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
• First Prize - Oral Presentation, Canadian Association of Pediatric Surgeons
• William S. Fenwick Research Award, University of Toronto
• First Prize - Oral Presentation, University of Toronto Annual Assembly of General Surgeons
• Canadian Research Gold Medal for Specialty Residents in Surgery, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• Davis and Geck Award (Basic science contribution by clinical researcher), Canadian Association of General Surgeons
• Andrew Sass-Kortsak Research Award (Nominated by all students/fellows), Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute
• Basic Science Research Award (Abstract), Eastern Student Research Forum
• Institute of Medical Science Research Award (Abstract), University of Toronto
• Canadian Association of Pediatric Surgeons Resident Award, First Place - Oral Presentation at Annual Meeting
• American Society for Cell Biology Predoctoral Research Award, Basic Science Competition - Abstract
• First Prize - Basic Science Poster, Institute of Medical Science Scientific Day
• Gallie-Batemen Research Award, University of Toronto
• Resident Research Award for Novel Research Design and Experimentation, University of Toronto
• University of Toronto Annual Assembly of General Surgeons, First Prize - Oral Presentation
• Surgical Infection Society Resident Award, First Prize - Oral Presentation
• Predoctoral Research Award, American Society of Cell Biology
• Medical Research Council of Canada Research Fellowship
• Resident Research Fellowship, Ethicon Society of University Surgeons
• Hospital for Sick Children Research Fellowship
• Province of Ontario Graduate Scholarship (Declined)
• Laidlaw Prize - Honorable Mention, Institute of Medical Science
• Gallie-Bateman Research Award, University of Toronto
• Honorable Mention for Basic Science, Eastern Student Research Forum
• Surgical Alumni Scholarship, University of Toronto
• Research Fellowship, Hospital for Sick Children
• Graduation Class of 1992, University of Western Ontario
• Dean's Honor Roll, Academic Excellence in Medical School
• Award of Academic Excellence, University of Western Ontario
• Dean's Honor Roll, University of Western Ontario
• Watson Chair Honoree, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Surgery
• American Surgical Association, Elected member
• Hartwell Biomedical Research Collaboration Award, 1/1/11

Graduate Program Affiliations

• Cellular and Molecular Medicine

Memberships

• Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American College of Surgeons, Candidate Member
• American Gastroenterological Association
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• American Society for Cell Biology
• American Surgical Association
• Association for Academic Surgery, Active Member, Nominating Committee
• Canadian Medical Association
• Ontario Medical Association
• Shock Society
• Society of University Surgeons, Treasurer
• Surgical Infection Society, Ad Hoc By-Laws Committee, Editorial Board

Professional Activities

Society of University Surgeons, Past President