November 15, 2004

Alumna Karen Burg Infuses New Life into Breast Reconstruction Research

Karen Burg was included in MIT’s list of the world’s 100 Top Young Innovators in 2003. She has also received a 2002 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and a 2001 NSF Faculty Early Career Award. (Photo: courtesy of Clemson World)

You can hear the excitement in Dr. Karen J.L. Burg’s voice — and for good reason. Her innovative research with injectable transplants may one day provide a more natural and minimally invasive surgical alternative for breast-cancer survivors.

Burg (ChE ’90), associate professor of bioengineering at Clemson University, conducts most of her research as director of the University’s Tissue Engineering Laboratory. Her breakthrough technique involves extracting a relatively small number of verified healthy cells from a breast-cancer patient and cultivating these cells on synthetic, biodegradable beads no larger than one millimeter across. The cellular beads are then mixed with a low-viscosity, biodegradable gel, placed into a syringe and injected into the damaged area of the breast, following a lumpectomy or mastectomy. Once inside the body, the beads dissolve slowly, allowing time for the new cells to mature and replace the removed or damaged tissue.

Adult stem cells grow on biodegradable beads. The cell-bead interaction is key to developing viable tissue and is both cell- and material-specific. (Photo: Chuck Thomas, Clemson Univ. Tissue Engineering Lab)

According to Burg, the technique would reduce scarring, help restore the breast’s natural shape and promote quicker surgical recoveries than would traditional reconstructions. Additionally, since the patient is the donor of the injected cells, the need for immunosuppression is eliminated, and complications that accompany traditional transplant surgeries are minimized. Finally, after complete dissolution and absorption of the beads and gel, only natural breast tissue remains.

“I know so many women that have had breast cancer,” Burg said. “Women at the University, in my own family — all over. They are extremely excited about the possibilities.”

After earning her PhD in bioengineering at Clemson University, Burg researched tissue engineering at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. While there, she worked closely with an oncologist who wanted someone to look at possible breast reconstruction methods, integrating cellular biology and engineering concepts. For Burg, it was an irresistible and invaluable opportunity.

“I was able to shadow him and see the human side of things. It was a unique and exciting time for me,” Burg said. “All these patients were terribly strong women and very open about their experiences. It was important for me to recognize how each case is slightly different and how treatments vary. They gave me a better perspective on what might or might not work.”

	Karen Burg lives in Clemson with her husband, Tim. They are both engineers, so look for any excuse to use heavy machinery in the yard, the most recent project being the construction of regulation-sized horseshoe pits and petanque court. Karen and Tim love to travel, play basketball and watch Clemson/NCSU football.

For Burg, the patients not only provided good technical and practical information, they also provided her with an indelible source of motivation. “There’s no better source than the patients — they have to live with it, but they still have such a positive outlook on life.”

Burg said she has patented aspects of her research and is working hard to license the technology with a biomedical company. “I’m hopeful the technology will be in clinical trials (tested in human patients) within the next five years.” But as with any scientific venture, it’s important to be realistic about the timing, she noted. “There’s so much more to learn.”

— pishney —

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