Denny Liggit, D.V.M., Ph.D. Professor Department of Comparative Medicine School of Medicine University of Washington Seattle, WA 98368 email: dliggitt@u.washington.edu

Dr. Liggitt's research interest is development and validation of in vivo gene transfer systems and the participation of cytokines in the mediation of inflammatory and chronic diseases and conditions. He is involved in collaborative studies designed to develop novel approaches to the delivery of genes with potential therapeutic or prophylactic utility. The approach used involves delivery of the gene of interest complexed to a cationic lipid rather than a viral vector or other device. Using this approach, it maybe possible to replace non-existent or defective genes (such as in cystic fibrosis), deliver important cytokines and growth factors, or encode production of vaccine antigens, among other things. Current work is centered on targeting cell types and developing models to investigate wound healing and respiratory diseases. He is also interested in the consequences of inappropriate cytokine/growth factor expression and the role this plays in mediation of disease (principally pulmonary disease). Efforts in this area include projects focused on examining the role of mediators such as TNF, IL-1, VEGF, IFN-gamma, and IL-4 in pulmonary fibrosis, the participation of similar mediators in leaky lung syndrome, and the role that over-expression of IL-4 plays in the pathogenesis of a transgenic model incorporating osteoporosis and other multi-systemic disorders.