W. Conrad Liles, MD, Ph.D.
Affiliate Professor

CONTACT INFORMATION
Professor of Medicine
Director, Division of Infectious Diseases
Canada Research Chair in Inflammation and ID
McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health
McLaughlin Centre for Molecular Medicine
University of Toronto/University Health Network
Toronto General Hospital, 13E 220
200 Elizabeth Street
Toronto, ON  M5G 2C4
CANADA

Phone: 416-340-4800 x3624
Fax: 416-340-3357
conrad.liles@uhn.on.ca

LINK TO CONRAD LILES COMMUNITY OF SCIENCE WEB PAGE

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

Laboratory investigation focuses on the role and regulation of innate immunity in host defense. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is recognized to play a critical role in the regulation of inflammation and the host immune response. Recent investigation has concentrated on the role of the Fas (CD95)/Fas-ligand system in both spontaneous phagocyte apoptosis and phagocyte-mediated tissue injury and inflammation. Our studies have demonstrated that activated phagocytes employ Fas-ligand as a rapidly released death-inducing cytokine. Current studies are examining the molecular events involved in the processing of Fas ligand by human neutrophils and monocytes/ macrophages. We are also interested in the role of the Fas/Fas-ligand system in clinical disease. On-going studies are examining this system in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), atherosclerosis, sepsis, and multiple organ failure. The ultimate goal of these studies is the development of novel therapeutic strategies for clinical diseases associated with inflammation. 

Other research interests include the regulation of myeloid development, the molecular basis of inherited neutrophil disorders, the development of methodology to optimize the clinical utility of granulocyte transfusion therapy, mobilization of CD34+ hematopoeitic stem cells, and the modulation of neutrophil function by colony-stimulating factors. Recently, we have begun to examine the role and regulation of the toll-like receptor system in acute inflammation and pathogen recognition.

Clinical interests include primary (congenital) immunodeficiency disorders, fungal infections, zoonoses, and travel/tropical medicine.

PUBLICATIONS

Marr KA, Balajee SA, Hawn TR, Ozinsky A, Pham U, Akira S, Aderem A, Liles WC. Differential role of MyD88 in macrophage-mediated responses to opportunistic pathogens. Infect Immun, in press.

Liles WC, Broxmeyer HE, Rodger E, Wood B, Hubel K, Cooper S, Hangoc G, Bridger GJ, Henson GW, Calandra G, Dale DC. Mobilization of hematopoetic progenitor cells in healthy volunteers by AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist. Blood, in press.

Park DR, Thomsen AR, Frevert CW, Pham U, Skerrett SL, Kiener PA, Liles WC. Fas (CD95) induces proinflammatory cytokine responses by human monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages. J Immunol 170:6209-16, 2003.

Hubel K, Dale DC, Liles WC. Therapeutic use of cytokines to modulate phagocyte function for the treatment of infectious diseases: current status of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interferon-gamma. J Infect Dis 185:1490-1501, 2002.

Hubel K, Dale DC, Engert A, Liles WC. Current status of granulocyte (neutrophil) transfusion therapy for infectious diseases. J Infect Dis 183:32128, 2001.