University of California San Francisco

Biography

As founding director of UCSF's Fetal Treatment Center, Harrison is internationally renowned for his expertise and innovation in pediatric and fetal surgery. Widely regarded as the "father of fetal surgery," Harrison, over the last three decades, concentrated his lab efforts to establish the developmental pathophysiology of correctable birth defects in animal models, and develop and test techniques for fetal intervention (including maternal-fetal anesthesia), prior to clinical application. Now, a decade into the new century, the pioneering spirit continues and manifests in a new direction of innovation-i.e., original thought combined with the first presentation of work that leads to a milestone in the advancement of surgical care. Harrison's current research focuses on pediatric orphan device development, particularly devices employing the use of magnetic force. His most recent work has earned him one of three prestigious stimulus grants awarded by the FDA to fund a pediatric device consortium at UCSF.

Over the last six years, the Harrison lab has explored the use of magnetic force to correct a variety of problems and deformities. They began with the Magnetic Mini-Mover Procedure (3MP) to correct pectus excavatum in children, and tested the Magnimplant device in an FDA-sponsored trial with an FDA-approved IDE. In addition to the Magnetic Mini-Mover, they are continuing to develop and test:

- The Magnamosis device which uses specially designed magnets to create a secure compression anastomosis between any two pieces of intestine
- A magnetic internal-control contraction device to assist in laparoscopic surgery
- The Robo-Implant device, which uses magnetic coupling to activate and lengthen and shorten an internal growing rod for treatment of scoliosis and for limb lengthening.

In the course of developing and testing these magnetic implant treatments, the Harrison Lab most recently began considering the use of magnetic force for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. The concept is simple. In the same way that they implant a titanium-encased rare earth magnet on the sternum in patients with pectus excavatum and then, later, the patients use an external magnet orthotic device to gradually pull the 'sunken chest' out, Harrison et al are considering the possibility of implanting a similar magnet on the hyoid bone and letting the patient use an external orthotic magnetic device to pull the hyoid forward and open the airway when sleeping. With this approach the patient is unaffected while awake during the day and the implanted device is essentially invisible.

Under the auspices of the UCSF Pediatric Device Consortium, the mission of the Harrison Lab is to facilitate the development, production, and distribution of pediatric medical devices by:

- Encouraging innovation and connecting qualified individuals with pediatric device ideas with potential manufacturers
- Mentoring and managing pediatric device projects through the development process, including product identification, prototype design, device development, and marketing
- Connecting innovators and physicians to existing Federal and non-Federal resources
- Assessing the scientific and medical merit of proposed pediatric device projects
- Providing assistance and advice as needed on business development, personnel training, prototype development, and post-marketing needs

Videos

Education

Institution Degree Dept or School End Date
Harvard University M.D. School of Medicine 1969
Yale Univeristy BA 1965

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Surgery, 1978, renewed 1988
  • American Board of Surgery, Special Competence in Pediatric Surgery, 1979, renewed 1989
  • American Board of Surgery, Surgical Critical Care, 1991

Clinical Expertise

Birth Defects
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)
Fetal Surgery
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Pediatric Surgery

Clinical Trials

  1. Related Conditions: Sleep Apnea, Sleep Disorders| Start Date: | End Date:
  2. Related Conditions: Intestinal Anastomosis Complication| Start Date: | End Date:
  3. Related Conditions: Pectus Excavatum| Start Date: | End Date:

Program Affiliations

  • Fetal Treatment Center

In the News

August, 29, 2017 | UCSF Surgical Innovations Program
November, 01, 2016 | UCSF Surgical Innovations Program
July, 08, 2016 | Department of Surgery, Surgical Innovations
March, 17, 2015 | UCSF Surgical Innovations Program
May, 06, 2013 | UCSF Pediatric Surgery

Grants and Funding

  • UCSF-Stanford Pediatric Device Consortium | NIH | 2018-09-01 - 2023-08-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • Magnetic Duodeno-Ileal Bypass for Metabolic Syndrome in Rhesus Monkeys | NIH | 2017-06-01 - 2020-05-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • Magnetic Mini Mover Device for the Treatment of Pectus Excavatum | NIH | 2016-09-28 - 2019-08-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • UCSF PEDIATRIC DEVICE CONSORTIUM | NIH | 2009-09-25 - 2019-08-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • Pain Control in the Nuss Procedure: A Prospective, Randomized Trial of Cryoanalgesia vs. Thoracic Epidural | NIH | 2017-07-01 - 2019-06-30 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • Phase III Multicenter Study of Magnetic Mini-Mover for Pectus Excavatum G090006 1 | NIH | 2007-04-01 - 2017-03-31 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • MULTICENTER TRIAL OF FETAL MYELOMENINGOCELE REPAIR | NIH | 2001-07-01 - 2012-09-30 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
  • PEDIATRIC CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER | NIH | 1981-12-01 - 2007-03-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
  • FETAL WOUND HEALING: ROLE OF THE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX | NIH | 1989-12-01 - 1998-02-28 | Role: Co-Principal Investigator
  • INDUCTION OF TOLERANCE IN MARROW TRANSPLANTATION | NIH | 1990-08-01 - 1995-07-31 | Role: Co-Investigator
  • CLINICAL TRIAL OF FETAL SURGERY FOR DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA | NIH | 1992-09-30 - 1994-09-29 | Role: Principal Investigator
  • TRANSPLANTATION OF FETAL HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELLS | NIH | 1988-02-01 - 1994-06-30 | Role: Principal Investigator

Research Interests

  • Minimally Invastive Surgery
  • Birth Defects
  • Pectus Excavatum Repair
  • Developmental Biology
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells
  • World Health

Publications

MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS FROM A TOTAL OF 113
  1. Cryoablation of a Large Diaphragmatic Metastasis with Long-Term Follow-Up.
    Pena OD, Harrison MR, Kim CY| | PubMed
  2. Repair of complex esophageal atresia with tracheobronchial remnant using special magnets.
    Reich C, Weigl E, Holler AS, Lee W, Harrison M, Muensterer OJ| | PubMed
  3. Evaluation of a Magnetic Compression Anastomosis for Jejunoileal Partial Diversion in Rhesus Macaques.
    Evans LL, Lee WG, Karimzada M, Patel VH, Aribindi VK, Kwiat D, Graham JL, Cummings DE, Havel PJ, Harrison MR| | PubMed
  4. Beyond the gut: spectrum of magnetic surgery devices.
    Lee WG, Evans LL, Harrison MR| | PubMed
  5. Lessons Learned From the First-In-Human Compassionate Use of Connect-EA™ in Ten Patients With Esophageal Atresia.
    Lee WG, Evans LL, Chen CS, Fuchs JR, Zamora IJ, Bruzoni M, Harrison MR, Muensterer OJ| | PubMed
  6. The Rearing of Maternal-Fetal Surgery: The Maturation of a Field from Conception to Adulthood.
    Chen C, Evans LL, Harrison MR| | PubMed
  7. Esophageal Magnetic Compression Anastomosis in Esophageal Atresia Repair: A PRISMA-Compliant Systematic Review and Comparison with a Novel Approach.
    Holler AS, König TT, Chen C, Harrison MR, Muensterer OJ| | PubMed
  8. The novel application of an emerging device for salvage of primary repair in high-risk complex esophageal atresia.
    Evans LL, Chen CS, Muensterer OJ, Sahlabadi M, Lovvorn HN, Novotny NM, Upperman JS, Martinez JA, Bruzoni M, Dunn JCY, Harrison MR, Fuchs JR, Zamora IJ| | PubMed
  9. A randomized controlled trial comparing changes in fitness with or without supervised exercise in patients initiated on enzalutamide and androgen deprivation therapy for non-metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (EXTEND).
    Harrison MR, Davis PG, Khouri MG, Bartlett DB, Gupta RT, Armstrong AJ, McNamara MA, Zhang T, Anand M, Onyenwoke K, Edwardson S, Craig D, Michalski M, Wu Y, Oyekunle T, Coyne B, Coburn A, Jones LW, George DJ| | PubMed
  10. Novel Device for Endoluminal Esophageal Atresia Repair: First-in-Human Experience.
    Muensterer OJ, Evans LL, Sterlin A, Sahlabadi M, Aribindi V, Lindner A, König T, Harrison MR| | PubMed