Faculty Research Interests

Jerry Zimmerman, M.D., Ph.D. Interactions of inflammation and ischemia-reperfusion in the pathogenesis of sepsis and MODS and the balance of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome and the compensatory antinflammatory response syndrome. He is currently conducting a local small clinical trial assessing a clinical intensity of organ dysfunction and its relation to adrenal status, endothelial integrity and fatty acid lipid peroxidation and lipid mediator generation. In addition, he is organizing a multi-institutional, randomized, controlled trial examining stress dose hydrocortisone in pediatric severe sepsis.

Harris P. Baden, M.D. Cardiac intensive care.

Thomas V. Brogan, M.D. Effects of respiratory acidosis and endogenous nitric oxide on pulmonary blood flow and ventilation. Clinical studies involve the treatment of severe asthma, the neurologic complications of ECMO therapy, and therapies for severe respiratory failure.

National Institutes of Health - Co-Investigator ($22,933) FTE 20% Temporal Heterogeneity of Pulmonary Blood Flow, Project Principal Investigator - Erik Swenson. 1996 to present.

Michael P. Davis, M.D. Response of the Endothelial cell to inflammatory stimuli and its role in the initiation and propagation of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Molecular mechanisms involved in cellular apoptosis and the response to septic insult and ischemia/reperfusion injuries in a variety of knockout mice.

David S. Jardine, M.D. Biology of heat shock proteins, especially in areas that are relevant to clinical problems. Current investigations include examining the role of HSP70 in preventing neuronal apoptosis and the possible toxicity of long-term, heat-shock protein expression. Other projects include examining gene expression in heat- and cold-stressed neuronal cells. He is also involved in projects investigating the role of heat-shock proteins as potential biomarkers for sudden infant death syndrome and as biomarkers for hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. Some of the laboratory techniques employed in these investigations include the development of retroviral expression vectors, the development of transgenic animals, DNA microarray analysis, flow cytometry, fluorescent microscopy, ELISA and Western blot analysis.

Role of heat-shock proteins in the prevention of neuronal apoptosis. NIH K08 grant to investigate the role of heat-shock proteins in the prevention of neuronal apoptosis ($443,200). 1999 to 2004.

Heat-shock proteins as potential markers of sudden infant death syndrome. SIDS Foundation of Washington ($20,000)

Heat-shock proteins as biomarkers for hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome. Center for Ecogenetics, University of Washington ($24,610)

Differential heat-shock protein gene expression in human neuronal cells after thermal stress. DNA microarray techniques are used to differentiate gene expression after heat and cold stress.

John K. McGuire, M.D. NIH-supported research directed at understanding how epithelial responses to acute injury regulate repair and contribute to tissue fibrosis and chronic organ dysfunction. Using complementary cell and animal-based models of human disease in transgenic mice, Dr. McGuire's research focuses on the function of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in acute lung injury and acute renal tubular injury. Related projects are focused on elucidating the role of MMPs in RSV bronchiolitis and asthma.

Joan Roberts, M.D. Currently involved in several clinical research efforts ranging from asthma to near-infrared spectroscopy.

"Troponin I: An Indicator of Myocardial Injury During ECMO," Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington - $4,550

"Intravenous Terbutaline versus Inhaled Albuterol in Pediatric Status Asthmaticus," American Lung Association - $24,750.

"Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity, Cerebral Autoregulation and Cerebral Oxygenation in Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis," Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington -$8,600 as co-investigator

Kenneth A. Schenkman, M.D., Ph.D. Developed and patented an analytic method for determining intracellular muscle oxygenation using reflectance optical spectroscopy. Investigation of cardiac intracellular oxygenation and mitochondrial function in response to hypoxis. Application of near-infrared spectroscopy for non-invasive monitoring of muscle an cerebral oxygenation and mitochondrial function in the clinical setting.

Whitaker Foundation Research Grant "Mitochondrial function by optical spectroscopy", (P.I.: Schenkman, K) 20% effort, $218,141. 2001-2004
NIH-RO1-NIAMS "MR and optical diagnosis of muscle metabolism and function" (P.I.: Kushmerick, M) 10% effort Total costs: $2,956,727. 2003-2008.