Akron Children’s Welcomes Burn and Critical Care Surgeon Ozhathil
AKRON, Ohio – Dr. Deepak Ozhathil, a burn and critical care surgeon, has joined Akron Children’s Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute.
“Dr. Ozhathil is a wonderful addition to our team and represents one of few dedicated burn surgeon-scientists across the country,” said Dr. Anjay Khandelwal, director of the Adult and Pediatric Burn Institute. “He brings not only clinical excellence but also exceptional research capabilities. With his expertise, Akron Children’s will be one of the only burn programs across the country with excellence in adult and pediatric acute burn care, reconstructive and laser care and research.”
Ozhathil attended medical school at the University of Massachusetts and completed his surgical residency at the University of New Mexico. His surgical critical care and acute burn surgery fellowship took place at the University of Texas Medical Branch and Shriners Children’s Texas Burn Center.
Ozhathil has published multiple book chapters and peer-reviewed manuscripts. He has established a tissue biorepository to study the burn wound microbiome. Recently, he has been leveraging innovative technology, including next-generation sequencing, to explore intercellular communication and its role in the complexities of burn wounds to improve patient outcomes.
“My research interests are divided into two parts. The first focuses on the mentorship and involvement of trainees in a foundation of research and academic surgical pursuits,” Ozhathil said. “The experience has been rewarding for me and quite popular amongst trainees, with many going on to publish in medical journals and present at conferences. The second aspect of my research uses cutting-edge technology to better understand how the immune system and microbes that colonize the burn wound communicate with each other. Our goal is to develop new treatments that will help burn patients heal faster with less surgery.”
Ozhathil lives in Hudson with his wife, Manasa, and their two daughters, Mariam, 7, and Meira, 2.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
