J. Scott VanEpps, MD, PhD, FACEP

Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine
Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Assistant Professor, Macromolecular Science and Engineering
Investigator, Biointerfaces Institute
Associate Director, Weil Institute

734-763-2702
jvane@med.umich.edu

Dr. VanEpps has a broad multidisciplinary background in the fields of bio/chemical engineering, molecular biology, and medicine.  His previous projects successfully combined engineering (both analysis and design) with traditional biological experiments using both in vitro and large animal models. Since coming to the University of Michigan, his research has focused on life threatening infections, and in particular those related to implantable medical devices.  That work is divided into both rapid diagnostics for bloodstream infection as well as novel treatment strategies.  With respect to diagnostics his lab is developing a novel ultrasensitive nanorod based PCR assay to detect bacteria in whole blood without culture.  With respect to treating life-threatening and medical device related infection, his lab focuses on fundamental understanding of bacterial adhesion to abiotic surfaces, development of novel antimicrobial nanomaterials, design of nanomaterials to prevent adhesion and colonization of implant surfaces, and new strategies to treat implanted medical device infection in situ. Technologies under development include, novel antimicrobial/antibiofilm nanomaterials, physical augmentation of antibiotic killing, and biofilm dispersal agents.