From Waste to Wisdom: Biomarker Discovery in Discarded Wound Dressings for Personalized Healing
Location
Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation; Orbit 2
Event Website
https://nova.libcal.com/event/15011062
Start Date
12-11-2025 12:00 PM
End Date
12-11-2025 12:50 PM
Description
Abstract
What if the key to healing wounds faster and more effectively was hidden in what we throw away? Every day, discarded wound dressings contain a wealth of biological information—clues that can reveal how the body is responding to injury and what it needs to recover.
In this talk, From Waste to Wisdom: Biomarker Discovery in Discarded Wound Dressings for Personalized Healing, you’ll learn how researchers are turning medical waste into a valuable resource for precision medicine. By studying the biomarkers found in wound dressings, scientists can uncover insights into inflammation, infection, and tissue repair—insights that may one day help clinicians tailor treatments to each individual patient. You’ll discover the science behind this innovative approach, why it matters for the future of personalized medicine, and how it bridges laboratory research with real-world patient care. This isn’t just about recycling materials—it’s about transforming overlooked byproducts into tools that could improve healing, reduce complications, and reshape the way we think about wound care.
About the Presenter
Dr. Ivan Jozic, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and a proud graduate of Nova Southeastern University. He earned his doctorate in Cell Biology from Florida International University, followed by postdoctoral training in the Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Program at the University of Miami before joining the faculty in 2019. Dr. Jozic has been continuously funded since his postdoctoral years and is the recipient of numerous prestigious honors, including the 3M Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Wound Healing Foundation, the Young Investigator and Junior Faculty Awards from the Wound Healing Society, the H. Paul Ehrlich Rising Star Award from the Wound Healing Foundation, the Novartis Research Scholar Award from the American Skin Association, and the Junior Faculty Development Award from the American Diabetes Association. He holds faculty membership in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS), serves on the Admissions Committee, and represents the Department of Dermatology on the Faculty Council. Dr. Jozic is an active member of several professional societies, including the Wound Healing Society, Wound Healing Foundation, and the Society for Investigative Dermatology, and he contributes broadly to the field as a reviewer for funding agencies and leading journals. His laboratory is dedicated to understanding the role of lipid rafts in cutaneous physiology and disease, with particular emphasis on chronic wounds, inflammatory skin disorders, alopecia, and skin aging. Current projects span biomarker discovery, wound healing mechanisms, the paradoxical roles of caveolae in inflammation, the regulation of hair follicle stem cells, and the contribution of lipid rafts to cellular senescence. By integrating collaborations across medicine, chemistry, and bioengineering, his team is advancing biomarker-driven, personalized therapeutic strategies for dermatological conditions and wound repair.
From Waste to Wisdom: Biomarker Discovery in Discarded Wound Dressings for Personalized Healing
Alan B. Levan NSU Broward Center of Innovation; Orbit 2
Abstract
What if the key to healing wounds faster and more effectively was hidden in what we throw away? Every day, discarded wound dressings contain a wealth of biological information—clues that can reveal how the body is responding to injury and what it needs to recover.
In this talk, From Waste to Wisdom: Biomarker Discovery in Discarded Wound Dressings for Personalized Healing, you’ll learn how researchers are turning medical waste into a valuable resource for precision medicine. By studying the biomarkers found in wound dressings, scientists can uncover insights into inflammation, infection, and tissue repair—insights that may one day help clinicians tailor treatments to each individual patient. You’ll discover the science behind this innovative approach, why it matters for the future of personalized medicine, and how it bridges laboratory research with real-world patient care. This isn’t just about recycling materials—it’s about transforming overlooked byproducts into tools that could improve healing, reduce complications, and reshape the way we think about wound care.
About the Presenter
Dr. Ivan Jozic, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and a proud graduate of Nova Southeastern University. He earned his doctorate in Cell Biology from Florida International University, followed by postdoctoral training in the Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Program at the University of Miami before joining the faculty in 2019. Dr. Jozic has been continuously funded since his postdoctoral years and is the recipient of numerous prestigious honors, including the 3M Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Wound Healing Foundation, the Young Investigator and Junior Faculty Awards from the Wound Healing Society, the H. Paul Ehrlich Rising Star Award from the Wound Healing Foundation, the Novartis Research Scholar Award from the American Skin Association, and the Junior Faculty Development Award from the American Diabetes Association. He holds faculty membership in the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Program in Biomedical Sciences (PIBS), serves on the Admissions Committee, and represents the Department of Dermatology on the Faculty Council. Dr. Jozic is an active member of several professional societies, including the Wound Healing Society, Wound Healing Foundation, and the Society for Investigative Dermatology, and he contributes broadly to the field as a reviewer for funding agencies and leading journals. His laboratory is dedicated to understanding the role of lipid rafts in cutaneous physiology and disease, with particular emphasis on chronic wounds, inflammatory skin disorders, alopecia, and skin aging. Current projects span biomarker discovery, wound healing mechanisms, the paradoxical roles of caveolae in inflammation, the regulation of hair follicle stem cells, and the contribution of lipid rafts to cellular senescence. By integrating collaborations across medicine, chemistry, and bioengineering, his team is advancing biomarker-driven, personalized therapeutic strategies for dermatological conditions and wound repair.
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/biolectures/2025-2026/Schedule/5