Research Interests
The Basic Science Section has a faculty whose diverse research interests in respiratory biology include:
Free Radical Biology Group
Russell Bowler, MD, PhD - Studies the use of genomics and proteomics in the development of oxidative stress biomarkers in lung disease
Brian J. Day, PhD - Drug development of catalytic antioxidant porphyrins and the role of thiols in cellular redox regulated processes
Mari Nakamura (Numata), MD, PhD - Researches the molecular mechanisms of action of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG) as novel anti-viral agents
Elizabeth Regan, MD, PhD - Role of antioxidant defenses in joint disease
Cell Signaling Group
Rafuel Alam, MD, PhD - Signaling mechanism of activation of T cells and eosinophils, and the mechanism of airway inflammation in asthma
Hong Wei Chu, MD - TLR signaling in asthma, COPD, and bacterial infection
Greg Downey, MD - Role of tyrosine phosphatases in regulation of leukocyte activation
James Finigan, MD - Researches how cells of the lung adhere and how cell-cell junctions are altered during lung injury and repair
Fabienne Gally, PhD - Focuses research on revealing the mechanisms underlying respiratory bacterial (e.g., Mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections in asthma
Anthony Gerber MD, PhD - Studies the basic molecular mechanisms whereby glucocorticoid signaling regulates a network of gene expression changes in airway cells and how components of this network alter the physiology and pathophysiology of the lung
Magdalena Gorska, PhD - Studies how T cell receptor and cytokine receptors (e.g. IL-5R) activate Src tyrosine kinases
Hua Huang, MD PhD - Cytokine signaling pathways in the lung
William Janssen, MD - Role of stem cells and progenitor cells in response to lung injury and apoptotic cell clearance
Jeffrey Kern, MD - Dr. Kern’s research interests are in cell signaling, especially focused around the EGFR family of membrane bound receptor tyrosine kinases. Ongoing projects in the lab include the role of this family in transformation as well as its role in recovery and repair of the epithelium after injury, role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in modifying these responses.
Kenneth Malcolm, PhD - Studies the role of viral infections such as influenza to impact the pathogenesis of lung injury
Richard Martin, MD - Role of metalloproteinase cell signaling in asthma and COPD
Robert Mason, MD - Growth factor cell signaling pathways in cell injury and death
Rangnath Mishra, PhD - Research focuses on cell signaling pathways involved in lung injury and lung cancer
Mari Nakamura (Numata), MD, PhD - Researches the molecular mechanisms of action of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG) as novel anti-viral agents
Jerry Nick, MD - Kinase cell signaling pathways in cystic fibrosis
Dennis Voelker, PhD - Lipid cell signaling pathways
Jieru Wang, MD, PhD - Interaction between type II cells and macrophages in the regulation of influenza-induced chemokine secretion
Acquired and Innate Immunity Group
Rafeul Alam, MD, PhD - Role of cytokines and signaling molecules in host defense
Hong Wei Chu, MD - Regulation of host defense (innate immunity) by allergic inflammation and cigarette smoke exposure
Brian J. Day, PhD - Role of glutathione and thiocyanate in lung host defense
Greg Downey, MD - Innate immune responses in lung epithelial cells
Fabienne Gally, PhD - Focuses research on revealing the mechanisms underlying respiratory bacterial (e.g., Mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections in asthma
Hua Huang, MD, PhD - T helper cell and allergic effector cell differentiation in animal models of asthma
William Janssen, MD - Role of stem cells and progenitor cells in response to lung injury and apoptotic cell clearance
Lisa Maier, MD, MPH - Immunology of granulomatous lung diseases
Kenneth Malcolm, PhD - Studies the role of viral infections such as influenza to impact the pathogenesis of lung injury
Richard Martin, MD - The role of infection on modulating asthma and COPD
Robert Mason, MD - Viral infections and lung surfactant proteins
Mari Nakamura (Numata), MD, PhD - Researches the molecular mechanisms of action of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG) as novel anti-viral agents
Jerry Nick, MD - Role of altered host defense in cystic fibrosis
Dennis Voelker, PhD - Role of phosphatidyl glycerol and surfactant proteins in lung infections
Jieru Wang, MD, PhD - Viral infections and type I and III interferons
Qun Wu, MD, PhD - Regulation of airway mucosal immunity by allergic inflammation and cigarette smoke exposure
Environmental and Occupational Lung Group
Russell Bowler, MD, PhD - Role of oxidative stress associated with environmental tobacco smoke exposures
Brian J. Day, PhD - Role of oxidative stress in beryllium lung disease and thiol adaptive responses to environmental tobacco smoke
Greg Downey, MD - Role of environmental tobacco smoke in regulation of epithelial cell function
James Finigan, MD - Investigates how cigarette smoke alters epithelial cell function.
Beata Kosmider, PhD- Ozone-induced epithelial cell injury and apoptosis
Lisa Maier, MD, MSPH - Risk factors associated with sensitization and chronic beryllium disease, including beryllium exposure and gene by environment interactions
Richard Martin, MD - Effects of infection on the lung's response to environmental tobacco smoke
Robert Mason, MD - Ozone-induced epithelial cell injury and apoptosis
Cecile Rose, MD, MSPH - Risk factors, mechanisms, and prevention of exposure-related granulomatous lung diseases, airway diseases, and pneumoconioses
David Schwartz, MD - The role of biological and genetic determinants in the onset of diseases that are influenced by environmental exposures
Respiratory Biodefense Group
Brian J. Day, PhD - Development of countermeasures against chemical warfare agent, sulfur mustard
Beata Kosmider, PhD - Role of apoptosis in viral infection
Robert Mason, MD - Virus-induced alveolar and epithelial cell injury and repair
Mari Nakamura (Numata), MD, PhD - Researches the molecular mechanisms of action of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG) as novel anti-viral agents
Jieru Wang, MD, PhD - Influenza infection in human type II cells and alveolar macrophages
Genetics Group
Russell Bowler, MD, PhD - Genetic associations for COPD
Lisa Maier, MD, MSPH - Genetic associations for granulomatous lung diseases, including sarcoidosis and chronic beryllium disease
Cecile Rose, MD, MSPH - Genetic associations for hypersensitivity pneumonitis and pneumoconiosis
David Schwartz, MD - Investigates the role of biological and genetic determinants in the onset of diseases that are influenced by environmental exposures
Translational Research
Preveen Ramamoorthy, PhD - Translates genomic biomarkers into molecular diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, genetic disorders and pharmacogenomics
