My research interests are in airway remodeling in asthma and acute lung injury. My laboratory focuses on identifying the signaling pathways that mediate these two disease processes.

Asthma: Our studies have centered on determining the role of the STAT signal transduction pathway in the accumulation of smooth muscle mass seen in the airway of most asthmatics. Approaches that have been utilized include cell culture analysis of human airway smooth muscle cells as well as mouse models of airway remodeling, including allergen challenge with dust mite antigen, and transgenic mice overexpressing cytokines in the airway.

Acute Lung Injury: We have determined that the Src and Jak family of kinases as well as the STAT transcription factors are upregulated throughout the lung in multiple animal models of lung injury, including a gastric aspiration, acute pancreatitis and an endotoxin model. We have determined that inhibiting Src and Jak attenuates lung injury and mortality in animals administered endotoxin. As a result, we are now evaluating whether these signaling molecules contribute to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury in humans. One goal of these studies is to develop novel, translational approaches to more precisely target the signaling pathways that promote lung injury.

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