Nathan White, M.D., M.S., is an adjunct assistant professor of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering at the UW with a particular interest in bleeding and blood clotting. As an attending physician in the Division of Emergency Medicine at Harborview Medical Center, he has seen firsthand how bleeding to death before reaching the hospital is responsible for 30 to 40 per cent of trauma-related deaths. Dr. White began to see this as a “treatable problem.”
Dr. White collaborated with Dr. Suzie Pun, of the Pun Laboratory, and UW professor of Bioengineering and adjunct professor of Chemical Engineering, and graduate students of Bioengineering such as Leslie Chan, to develop polymers that enhance blood clotting in patients following traumatic injuries. Injected by first responders, this revolutionary blood-clotting technology could significantly increase the survival rate of trauma victims.
In the video, Dr. White says, “The point that I’m trying address, is getting these patients, and more of these patients, alive to the hospital. And if you make it to the hospital, you have a really great chance of surviving.” He adds, “This is really team science. So this is bringing experts together from various fields, coming together, working towards a specific goal.”
Click here to learn more about the UW Department of Bioengineering Pun Laboratory.