Research

Bench RESEARCH

Brantly Lab

Dr. Brantly’s laboratory specializes in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which manifests mainly as lung and liver injury. Studies are centralized around characterization of alveolar macrophage function, hepatic fibrosis, gastrointestinal microbiota, and extracellular vesicles. We are interested in understanding how misfolded alpha-1 protein affects cellular signaling and degradation machinery.

Dr. Brantly sitting at his desk facing the computer monitor

Bryant Lab

Dr. Bryant’s lab is interested in understanding the impact that immune cells play in patients with pulmonary hypertension. We primarily use pre-clinical models of high blood pressure in the lungs to determine how inflammation contributes to changes in pulmonary vasculature. Our hope is that this work will yield novel targets for drug therapies, especially in those patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic lung disease such as interstitial lung disease.

Dr. Bryant and another scientist conducting an experiment

Jin Lab

Dr. Jin’s lab has a keen interest in understanding the in vivo mechanism of lung mucosal tolerance and developing new therapeutics for chronic lung diseases, e.g asthma and COPD that are the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. Dr. Jin’s lab is also interested in understanding how common human STING genetic variants influence human health and medicine.

Jin lab

Mehrad Lab

Dr. Mehrad’s lab specializes in Interstitial lung diseases; a heterogeneous group of lung diseases defined by chronic inflammation and fibrosis. The lab has 3 main areas of focus 1) Fibrocytes 2) Host defense mechanisms in invasive aspergillosis (3) Experimental therapy for Gram-negative bacterial infections.

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Moser Lab

Dr. Moser’s lab studies how antibody responses are triggered. Antibodies comprise a powerful arm of the immune system. Antibodies protect from infection, but can also cause autoimmune disease and transplant rejection. Before becoming antibody-secreting cells, activated B cells receive and respond to a multitude of cues that instruct the antibody response. Dr. Moser’s lab studies how protein modifications within the B cells shift the antibody program to induce protective or pathologic antibodies. This research will help design therapies to better elicit protective antibodies and inhibit disease-causing antibodies.

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Scindia Lab

Dr. Scindia’s lab specializes in investigating the mechanisms by which dysregulation of iron metabolism shapes inflammation, tissue injury and progression to organ failure. Dr. Scindia’s lab strives to identify novel targets for intervention to treat pathologies still managed mainly by fluid management (Sepsis) and traditional immunosuppression (Lupus).

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Clinical Research

Participating in Research

Our division engages in both interventional and observational studies. Each clinical trial has its own set of inclusion/exclusion criteria for recruitment.

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Clinical Research Focus Areas

CF Studies

Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disease that affects the lung, digestive system, sweat glands, & male fertility. Because CF is genetic, clinical research is the only way to develop better treatments and, hopefully, a cure for CF in the near future.

Research Resources

Research Facilities

Pulmonary division Research Laboratories have over 10,000 sq.ft. of research space, both at the VA Hospital and at other university facilities. They are equipped with state-of-the-art equipments, including computers and confocal microscopy.

scientist in a lab