Central to our mission of providing patient care and advanced medical education is our focus on pushing the boundaries of research.

Our experts in the department of plastic and reconstructive surgery are at the forefront of discovery in basic and clinical research.

Basic Research

Sashank K. Reddy, M.D., Ph.D.

Sashank Reddy is a surgeon-scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur with a proven track-record of advancing technologies from the bench into commercially viable entities to improve human health. He runs an NIH-funded research program working at the interface of regenerative medicine and aging. Current areas of focus include (1) skin and hair follicle regeneration, (2) mechanisms governing size control in skin, (3) adipocyte programming for metabolic disease, and (4) genomic recording of age-related functional decline. Dr. Reddy’s discoveries have been published in leading journals including Nature, Cell, Cell Stem Cell, Science Translational Medicine, and Science Advances. In recognition of the regional, national, and international impact of his work, Dr. Reddy has garnered numerous professional accolades including the Hoopes Academic Scholar Award and the BCRF Research Award from the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, the Catalyst Award, Discovery Award, and Clinician Scientist Award from Johns Hopkins University, and the McCarthy Scholarship from the American Society of Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons. As a practicing reconstructive surgeon, he brings practical experience to the development of novel therapeutics and devices. As a serial entrepreneur with experience working at leading venture creation firms Third Rock Ventures and Flagship Pioneering, he has created biotechnology companies that have raised over $70M in venture capital. Through his work as the Medical Director for Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures and Associate Director of the Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Dr. Reddy seeks to accelerate the commercialization of university discoveries. By leveraging his diverse expertise across medicine, science, and entrepreneurship, Dr. Reddy seeks to bridge the gap between fundamental discovery and clinically and commercially viable solutions, thereby magnifying economic and real-world impact.

Sami H. Tuffaha, M.D.

Sami Tuffaha is leading a research program aimed at developing and translating novel therapeutics, devices and imaging modalities to advance the care of patients with peripheral nerve and spinal cord injuries, specifically aiming to improve motor and sensory functional recovery and mitigate neuropathic pain. This work relies heavily on interdisciplinary collaborations that Dr. Tuffaha has cultivated with a number of investigators in BME, Neurology and Radiology. In Dr. Tuffaha's NIH and DOD funded basic/translational research laboratory, novel technologies are optimized and rigorously tested for safety and efficacy using robust preclinical rodent and non-human primate models. Promising technologies developed and tested in the lab are then advanced towards clinical testing.

Dr. Tuffaha and Dr. Ala Elhalai, Ph.D. (Assistant Professor, Plastic Surgery) are co-leading a number of ongoing clinical trials including a DOD-funded Phase II RCT evaluating a drug to enhance nerve regeneration and functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury. They have also recently demonstrated the effectiveness of a novel PET imaging agent to diagnose and monitor muscle denervation associated with peripheral nerve injury and spinal cord injury.

The following start-ups have been spun out of Dr. Tuffaha's lab: Phantom Neuro, S2 Biologics, and NerveMyo. Dr. Tuffaha and Dr. Sashank Reddy have recently been accepted into the NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics program which provides access to multiple cores and consultants in addition to funding to propel promising neurotherapeutics towards successful commercialization.  

The Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Research Laboratory 

The mission of the Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation (VCA) Research Laboratory is to bring together microvascular surgery, basic science research, and cutting-edge bioengineering to advance our understanding of reconstructive transplantation and promote the development of innovative clinical solutions for transplant recipients. 

Clinical Research

Ala Elhelali, MSc, Ph.D.

Ala Elhelali is a clinical and translational scientist specializing in the optimization of therapeutic interventions for peripheral nerve and spinal cord injuries. She co-directs the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Peripheral Nerve Clinical Research Group, a multidisciplinary program focused on evidence synthesis, clinical trial design, imaging biomarkers, functional metrics, and patient-reported outcomes.

Dr. Elhelali is the Principal Investigator of a Department of Defense/CDMRP translational program evaluating polyethylene glycol–mediated nerve fusion for acute mixed motor-sensory peripheral nerve injuries (NCT04789044). She also leads translational development of a long-acting injectable IGF-1 therapy for peripheral nerve injury, supported by a TEDCO Maryland Innovation Initiative Award.

In close collaboration with Dr. Tuffaha, Dr. Elhelali co-leads a Department of Defense-funded clinical trial evaluating tesamorelin therapy to enhance axonal regeneration, reduce denervation-related muscle atrophy, and improve functional recovery after peripheral nerve injury repair (NCT03150511). In parallel with these therapeutic trials, Dr. Elhelali and Dr. Tuffaha are advancing the clinical translation of novel molecular imaging to objectively quantify muscle and nerve injury over time. Their group recently demonstrated the clinical effectiveness of utilizing the GCPII-targeted ligand in PET/CT platforms as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for denervation and reinnervation.

Leveraging this dual expertise in clinical execution and trial methodology, Dr. Elhelali partners with basic scientists, clinical researchers, biomedical engineers, and industry stakeholders to translate preclinical innovations into human trials. She helps advise and design FDA regulatory strategies and methodological study design. For trainees, the research group offers structured mentorship in Cochrane-standard systematic reviews and clinical trial execution, equipping the next generation of clinical investigators to lead rigorous, evidence-based research  

Lily Mundy. M.D.

Lily Mundy is a clinical trials researcher looking to improve outcomes for patients after extremity trauma. As a plastic surgeon, her focus is on the impact of soft tissue or flap reconstruction on infection and fracture healing. She is currently the co-PI of an NIH and CIHR-funded clinical trial, FLAP ATTACK, that is evaluating the impact of flap timing on infection. In addition, she co-leads a data coordinating center at Johns Hopkins with Sheila Sprague, Ph.D. that runs mutli-center orthopeadic trauma clinical trials.  

Fan Liang, M.D.

The Center for Transgender and Gender Expansive Health Research Team was established in 2022 under the leadership of its director, Fan Liang, with a mission to advance evidence-based, patient-centered care for transgender and gender expansive (TGE) individuals. The lab focuses on expanding the scientific foundation of gender-affirming health care across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on surgical, medical, and health systems outcomes. By addressing critical gaps in the literature, the team aims to inform best practices that are both clinically rigorous and responsive to the lived experiences of TGE patients. 

A defining feature of the lab’s work is the integration of patient-reported outcomes alongside traditional clinical metrics. Through large national databases, multi-institutional collaborations, and original instrument development, the research program examines safety, equity, access, and long-term outcomes in gender-affirming care. This includes studies of perioperative risk, surgical techniques, health policy, training and workforce development, and the impact of hormone therapy across diverse medical conditions. The lab’s work also extends beyond gender-affirming surgery to broader questions of trauma, reconstruction, and health services research, allowing insights from multiple disciplines to inform inclusive clinical care. 

Collectively, the research team is committed to translating data into practice, ensuring that clinical decision-making, institutional policies, and patient counseling are grounded in high-quality evidence. By centering patient perspectives and prioritizing equity, the lab seeks not only to improve outcomes, but also to elevate the standard of care and health care experience for transgender and gender expansive communities worldwide. 

Carisa M. Cooney, M.P.H.

Carisa Cooney and her team conduct research on a variety of topics in clinical plastic and reconstructive surgery. They also conduct studies of surgical education and how to improve plastic and reconstructive surgery residency training. Collaborating with a broad range of faculty within and outside plastic surgery, she and her team support sponsored clinical trials, most recently in breast reconstruction [current: the GORE REDEFINE clinical trial, ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT06556654; previous: Antibiotics and Surgical Site Infection in Expander-Based Breast Reconstruction Trial (ASSERT), doi: 10.1245/s10434-025-18472-6] and burn care [Use of NexoBrid for Treatment of Acute Deep Partial and Full Thickness Burn Injuries (NEXT) ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT04040660]. They support first-in-humans translational studies (e.g., Acellular Adipose Tissue, ClinicalTrials.gov Numbers NCT02817984 & NCT03544632).  

Professor Cooney and her team conduct retrospective chart reviews, systematic reviews, and prospective studies exploring patient outcomes and quality of life following various procedures. She oversees the clinical vascularized composite allotransplantation program and supports research and quality improvement studies in the Bayview Adult Burn Center. Her team’s educational research includes using artificial intelligence in residency training, studying the plastic surgery workforce, and identifying ways to improve trainee assessment and feedback. Professor Cooney’s objective is to train her team members to conduct research in compliance with Good Clinical Practices, ensuring her lab members leave her lab with improved scientific writing and presentation abilities.