Organs
Charlie Alpers, MD (Pathology)
Our research involves studies of kidney disease consequent to immune responses to foreign pathogens and as a consequence of diabetes.
Julia Y. Chang, PhD (Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery)
Our lab studies odontogenic epithelial stem cells (OESC), the ancestor of ameloblasts, which produce the hardest layer—enamel in the body. We used mouse incisor as our experimental model since mouse incisors have unlimited growth potential throughout the life. The goal of the recent project is to investigating the role of Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling in maintenance, self-renewal, and differentiation of OESC and to fine-tune our newly established in vitro culture systems for expansion and characterization of OESC. The long-term goals are to explore applications of OESC in regenerative medicine, and to understand the roles of OESC in odontogenesis and the pathogenesis of odontogenic tumors.
William R. Henderson, Jr., MD (Medicine)
Study aims of the Henderson laboratory are to address the role of progenitor cells in lung repair in mouse models of pulmonary fibrosis and asthma. For this, stem cells (embryonic and adult bone marrow-derived mouse and human cells) will be isolated and manipulated ex vivo in culture prior to in vivo administration in mice with fibrotic lungs. Important goals are to determine if engrafted cells proliferate and repair/regenerate damaged lung tissue. The effect of small molecule inhibitors of key signaling pathways in the airway fibrotic process will also be examined in these studies that may lead to novel therapies for patients with airway injury and fibrosis.
Anne Hocking, PhD (Surgery)
The two objectives of our laboratory are: 1) to determine the impact of the diabetic metabolic environment of high glucose and fatty acids on MSC regulation of the local cellular responses to injury; and 2) to determining whether therapeutically administered MSCs reduce hypertrophic scarring by releasing soluble factors that regulate fibroproliferative responses to cutaneous injury.
Edward J. Kelly, PhD (Pharmaceutics)
Utility of embryonic stem (ES) cells as a source of human hepatocytes.
Hailing Lu, MD, PhD (Medical Oncology, Medicine)
Study in Dr. Lu's group aims to develop novel immunotherapeutic approaches for breast cancer. This group is particularly interested in developing the anti-tumor potential of natural products. In collaboration with investigators at Bastyr University, Dr. Lu's group is investigating the anti-tumor potential of polysaccharide Kresin (PSK), a mushroom extract. Recent studies from this group have demonstrated that PSK is a selective and potent toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) agonist. PSK can stimulate NK cells and augment the therapeutic effect of Herceptin, which is the current front-line therapy for patients with HER2 positive breast cancer. This finding is being translated into a Phase II clinical trial for breast cancer patients. In addition to PSK, Dr Lu's lab is developing the anti-tumor potential of artemisinin and its derivatives, in collaboration with Dr. Tomikazu Sasaki in Department of Chemistry. The long term goal is to develop novel anti-cancer therapies that combine Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) approaches to standard treatment.
Gustavo Matute-Bello, MD (Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine)
Our laboratory is interested in the role of resident lung stem cells in the response of the lung to injury. Ultimately we want to determine whether therapeutic strategies involving lung resident stem cells could be useful for the treatment of acute lung injury and repair.
John K. McGuire, MD (Pediatrics)
My laboratory work is directed at understanding how epithelial responses to acute injury and infection regulate lung repair and resolution of inflammation. Our work has specifically focused on understanding the role of matrix metalloproteinases in controlling lung epithelial regeneration and lung epithelial cell interactions with inflammatory cells.
David Parichy (Biology)
Our research program uses the zebrafish and related species to answer a variety of biological questions having both basic and translational relevance. Current efforts are focusing on: the establishment, maintenance, and recruitment of post-embryonic stem cells in the context of normal development, evolutionary diversification, and melanoma; the genes and cell behaviors underlying adult pigment pattern formation and how these mechanisms have evolved between closely related species to generate strikingly different pigment patterns; and the molecular mechanisms of the larval-to-adult transformation, or metamorphosis, which generates the adult form.
William C. Parks, PhD (Professor, Director, Center for Lung Biology)
Work in our lab focuses on how specific members of a large family of extracellular proteases–the matrix metalloproteinases–function in defense and repair. In our studies, we are primarily interested in immune functions conferred by the epithelium of different organs (but with a hefty emphasis on lung), functions which encompasses defense against microorganisms, wound repair, and recruitment of inflammatory cells. We have determined that specific MMPs serve distinct, non-overlapping functions in several distinct processes of innate immunity. Our goal is to understand mechanism, that is, to identify the physiologic protein substrates of individual MMPs whose cleavage regulates specific processes, such as cell migration, differentiation post repair, macrophage activation, and more.
David W. Raible, PhD (Biological Structure)
We are interested in the development of the peripheral nervous system using zebrafish as a model. Current research focuses on two areas: sensory neurons derived from neural crest and the mechanosensory lateral line system.
Valera Vasioukhin (FHCRC)
Our laboratory studies the mechanisms and significance of cell polarity and cell adhesion in normal mammalian development and cancer.
