Glycans in cell-cell interactions and immune function
T cells mature in the thymus, and then migrate to organs such as spleen and lymph nodes, where they participate in the immune response to foreign invaders. We have found that a carbohydrate binding protein, termed galectin-1, is expressed in numerous cell types in humans and mice, including organs of the immune system, immune privileged tissues, and tumors. Galectin-1 induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, of T cells both during development in the thymus and after immune stimulation in the periphery, indicating that galectin-1 plays a role in shaping and regulating the immune response. Galectin-1 induced cell death occurs via a novel, caspase-independent pathway.   Continued >>

Metabolic regulation of immune function
Dr. Steven Bensinger's laboratory is focused on understanding how lipid metabolism influences the growth of rapidly dividing normal and neoplastic tissues. They have recently identified a cholesterol metabolic checkpoint that regulates cell cycle progression in a wide variety of normal and cancer cells. Key ongoing studies include elucidating the regulatory networks that control lipid biosynthetic program in normal cells, and how these networks become dysregulated in cancer. Other important studies in the laboratory focus on understanding how lipid signals alter immune responses, resulting in basic immune dysfunction and autoimmune diseases.  Continued >>

Mucosal immunology, immunologic imaging, and inflammatory bowel disease
Innate and adaptive immune functions play a major role in susceptibility to and outcome of infectious diseases, autoimmunity and cancer. My laboratory is devoted to the molecular basis of disease-related immune processes in two areas. Microbial-immune homeostasis and molecular immune imaging in the intestine. Normal intestinal physiology requires peaceful cohabitation of abundant colonic bacteria with the epithelial and immune components of the intestinal mucosa. 
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Clinical immunology and clinical chemistry/toxicology
Dr. Butch's research activities are centered on improving methods to detect doping in sports in order to stay ahead of cheaters who take advantage of new drug developments to gain a competitive edge. In addition, Dr. Butch is interested in the characterization of assays to evaluate immune function and the development of novel protein immunoassays to detect disease.  Continued >> 

Dr. David Chia's major research interest is in the development of bio-markers for the early detection of cancers. Chia and his colleagues are involved in two National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored studies designed to evaluate the efficacy of screening a population of normal individuals for a variety of tumor-associated markers in reducing mortality from prostate, lung, colon and ovarian cancers. The researchers measure the prostate-specific antigen, PSA, and another cancer antigen, Ca-125, levels in a large normal population as part of a national study, but are interested in several other tumor markers as well.  Continued >>

Melanocytic tumors and the interactions of immunological, molecular and genetic factors that determine whether metastatic spread occurs
Dr. Alistair Cochran is primarily interested in the pathology of the skin with a focus on diseases and tumors of the melanocytes: nevi and melanomas. Secondary interests include the pathology of diseases of the breast and lung. His research interests include the elucidation of mechanisms of metastasis as a basis for the development of new and better approaches to the prevention and treatment of metastases in melanoma and breast cancer.  Continued >>

Human hematopoietic stem cells, lymphopoiesis and transplantation
Dr Crooks research program was founded on the question of how to identify and functionally define human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. This central theme has reached over time into three related areas, 1. the characterization and manipulation of human hematopoietic stem cells and lymphoid progenitors in cord blood, bone marrow and thymus, 2. mechanisms of thymic reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation, and 3. hematopoiesis from human embryonic stem cells. Specific areas of current investigation include regulation of lymphoid commitment in human hematopoiesis, VEGF-mediated thymic cross-talk, thymic graft re-engineering, and intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of hematopoiesis from human pluripotent stem cells.  Continued >>

Epigenetics and growth signaling in pancreatic carcinogenesis
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive and lethal cancer due to its typically advanced stage at initial diagnosis, poor response to chemotherapy and propensity to recur and metastasize. My research addresses the role of epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, in mediating pancreatic cancer progression. In addition, we are exploring the importance of specific growth signaling pathways in the evolution and maintenance of pancreatic cancer stem cells, as accumulating data support the concept that cancer stem cells may be critical determinants of chemoresistance, metastasis and disease recurrence in pancreatic cancer.   Continued >>

Lymphocyte development from embryogenesis through senescence
The overall goal of the laboratory is to study B cell development during fetal and adult life. The first B lineage cells emerge in the embryo, and recent studies have demonstrated that these arise from a B lineage progenitor whose developmental potential is restricted to the production of B-1 B cells. B-1 B cells are a minor population of B lymphocytes that are involved in innate immune responses. B cell progenitors that derive from hematopoietic stem cells, and which are destined to produce B-2 B cells, arise subsequently during embryogenesis.  Continued >>

Integrating genetics and gene expression to study complex disease pathogenesis
Naturally occurring genetic variation among individuals affects many if not most complex biologic processes to some measurable degree. This variation can be exploited in experimental populations by integrating genetics and large scale gene expression analyses ("genetical genomics"), with measurements of the disease or process of interest. This combination allows the identification of causal relationships between genes and phenotypes, and the development of models of the complex interactions involved in disease pathogenesis.  Continued >>

Clinical and translational research in sarcoma and pancreatic cancer 
Dr. Sarah Dry focuses on clinical and translational research in sarcoma and pancreatic cancer. An emerging area of research interest is the use of digital pathology, including automated analysis, in clinical, translational and basic science studies.  More Info >>

Inflammation and immunity in the pathogenesis of lung cancer
Dr. Dubinett conducts translational research in the immunobiology of lung cancer. Building on original discoveries regarding inflammation in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), he has developed a translational research program, which now utilizes these laboratory-based studies in the laboratory and clinical setting. His laboratory has identified inflammation-dependent genes and proteins mediating angiogenesis, apoptosis resistance, invasion and immune suppression in NSCLC. His studies focus on the microenvironment, inflammation and epithelial mesenchymal transition in the pathogenesis of lung cancer.  Continued >>

Immunodeficiency of HIV & aging; osteoimmunology: the link between T cells and bone
Both aging and HIV disease are characterized by the loss of immune control over viral infections and by increased cancer incidence. Our approach to dissecting the complex T cell dysfunction associated with these clinical problems has been to focus on a particular facet of T cell biology known as replicative senescence. This irreversible state of cell cycle arrest, which occurs after T cells have undergone multiple rounds of antigen-driven proliferation, is associated with various functional and genetic changes, such as loss of expression a the key co-stimulatory molecule, CD28), resistance to apoptosis, telomere shortening, and loss of the ability to upregulate telomerase. Continued >>

Formation and progression of lung cancer
Dr. Fishbein has a broad range of research interests spanning many aspects of pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Dr. Fishbein does collaborative basic, translational, and clinical research in pulmonary neoplasms and interstitial lung diseases and cardiovascular diseases including arteriosclerotic vascular diseases and cardiac arrhythmogenesis. Pathology of heart and lung transplantation is another major research area.  More Info >>

Hepatitis C viral mediated hepatocarcinogenesis
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer related death worldwide. One of most common causes of HCC includes infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in association with cirrhosis. We study the impact of HCV on hepatocyte cell signaling that augments viral infection and promotes hepatocarcinogenesis. We primarily utilize a proteomic approach to identify pathways targeted by HCV. Continued >>

Iron homeostasis in health and disease
Iron is an essential trace element whose plasma concentrations must be maintained in a narrow range. Prolonged decrease in plasma iron concentration causes cellular iron deficiency and anemia, and prolonged increase causes iron toxicity leading to organ failure and death. Our group discovered the iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin and, together with others, characterized its effects, regulation and mechanism of action.  Continued >>

Molecular genetics, cancer genetics, immunology, DNA repair
Gatti is interested in translational research, including both the development of diagnostic assays and finding new drugs to treat genetic disorders. His research focuses on DNA repair disorders, using ataxia-telangiectsia (A-T) as the primary working model. The lab collaborates with investigators in many other countries.  More Info >>

Statistical Analysis, Kidney Transplantation, HLA & Population Genetics
Transplant recipients may experience a variety of complications that affect their survival and the continued function of the transplanted organ. My current research is directed at developing statistical approaches to simultaneously evaluate the risks and probabilities for multiple transplant outcomes, including patient death, graft rejection and graft failures that result from mixed causes. We have begun to evaluate competing risk models to assess the impact of factors that exist prior to the transplant as well as events that occur after the transplant on the different possible outcomes.  Continued >>

Pathogenesis of ocular disease
The laboratory is focused in the structure and function of tear proteins as related to dry eye diseases. Tears contain a variety of proteins that protect the ocular surface. The overall goal is to learn the role of proteins in the molecular mechanisms of tear film function. Current efforts are focused on understanding the molecular basis of selectivity, for a group of lipid binding proteins in tears.  More Info >>

Tumor biomarker characterization, function of tumor suppressor gene, nano-scale electronic detection.
My group is involved in characterizing the molecular mechanism of tumor progression on a global, systems level. Specifically, we are working on 3 aspects of this: 1) Tumor biomarker characterization. We are one of the leading groups identifying and characterizing markers in solid tumors. We are doing this utilizing state-of the art technology of tissue microarrays and mass spectometry; 2) Function of tumor suppressor gene. We are studying a class of putative tumor suppressors in lung and breast cancer which appear to shuttle proteins to lipid raft microdomains. Currently we are defining the normal biology and the role of this family in tumor progression; 3) Nano-scale electronic detection.  Continued >>

Molecular genetics of metabolic and heritable neoplastic diseases
Utilizing modern molecular biologic techniques such as gene cloning, microarray hybridization, and gene transfer, my laboratory is involved in the elucidation, diagnosis and ultimately treatment of single-gene defects at the molecular level. Using human arginase deficiency, a defect in the urea cycle, as a model system, we are exploring, in close collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Stephen Cederbaum, the molecular structure and tissue-specific regulation of the arginase genes in health and disease. Continued >>

Carcinogenesis, hypoxia
Research Interests: Dr. Hankinson's research focuses on several areas. In one line of investigation he studies the mechanism of carcinogenesis by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (found in cigarette smoke and smog) and dioxin (a widespread pollutant), and related compounds. Carcinogenesis by these compounds depends upon their binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and the subsequent dimerization of AHR with the ARNT protein. Continued >> 

Molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer
Dr. Jiaoti Huang's laboratory has been studying the molecular mechanisms by which prostate cancer becomes insensitive to hormonal therapy and progresses to castration resistant tumors. His lab is actively engaged in drug discovery and in developing tumor models that can be used for the development of tools used in diagnosis, imaging, prevention and therapy of prostate cancer.  More Info >>

Dr. Humphries' research interests are in antimicrobial susceptibility testing and resistance mechanisms, Clostridium difficile disease, diagnostics and pathogenesis, and in the development of rapid molecular tests for the detection, quantification, and characterization of microorganisms in clinical specimens for the diagnosis of disease. Continued >>

Immunity at mucosal surfaces
Our lab studies different mechanisms by which a mucosal immune response regulates tissue inflammation against chronic bacterial infections. We use the intracellular organism, Chlamydia trachomatis, as model in vivo infection in mice to study host-pathogen interactions. Chlamydial infections cause world-wide morbidity by inducing an immune response which causes inflammatory damage to host tissues and involve T-helper type 1 cells, natural killer cells, natural killer T cells and FoxP3+ T regulatory cells. Continued >>

Genetics, Neuroscience, Medicine - Neurology 
More Info >>

Liver and pancreas transplantation
Currently, Dr. Kupiec-Weglinski's group is working in several key transplant research areas. These include:

1. Studying the pathophysiology of liver ischemia and reperfusion injury;
2. Analysis of T cell costimulatory pathways and memory alloreactive CD8+ T cells in allograft rejection in sensitized recipients;   Continued >>

Cancer epigenetics
Chromatin is a highly condensed complex of nucleic acid and basic proteins whose fundamental subunit, the nucleosome, has the same type of design in all eukaryotes. The nucleosome contains ~200 bp of DNA wrapped around an octamer of histones consisting of two copies of each histone H2A, H2B, H3 and H4. All histones are modified by covalent linkage of extra chemical moieties to the free groups of certain amino acids.  Continued >> 

Viral attachment and entry, HIV and emerging viruses, glycobiology
My lab has several areas of research interests; all within the intersection of glycans and dendritic cell biology. 

(1) Immunobiology of DC-SIGN mediated transfer of HIV-1. DC-SIGN is a viral attachment molecule specifically expressed on dendritic cells (DCs), and is though to mediate... Continued >>

Research Interests: Dr. Li's research focuses on the identification and characterization of genetic variations that affect complex diseases. He uses an integrated genomic approach to investigate global mRNA/miRNA expression, copy number variation, single nucleotide polymorphism and DNA-protein interaction by primarily using microarray- and next generation sequencing-based technologies for initial screening and siRNA/miRNA-mediated technologies for functional screening. His ultimate goal is to identify genetic variations of clinical importance.   Continued >>

Molecular genetics of mammalian neurodevelopment and behavior
Our research aims at understanding the molecular basis of nervous system development, plasticity, and neurodegenerative diseases. We use gene targeting in mice and focus on neurotrophins, Delta-catenin, and PTEN.

Neurotrophins (NTs) study has... Continued >>

Dr. Pasaniuc is primarily interested in statistical and computational methods for understanding genetic risk factors for common diseases with a particular focus in the study of admixed populations. Continued >>

Molecular imaging with PET and the biology of disease
Research focuses on the merger of biology and imaging to provide the means to examine molecular and cellular function in tissue cultures, as well as integrated organ function in animals and humans. These biological imaging assays are developed and integrated into biology and pharmacology based problems. Continued >> 

Host Genetics and Immune Regulation
Dr. Raja's current research is mainly focused to understand the diversity and polymorphism of NK cell receptor repertoire, HLA class I ligands and their combinations in human health and disease. More Info >>

Regulation of hematopoietic development and cancer by non-coding RNA
Broadly speaking, we want to understand the physiology and pathology of non-coding RNA and their interactors in hematopoiesis. Gene expression is a key component of regulating hematopoiesis, and many non-coding RNAs have some effect on gene expression. One subset of non-coding RNA, microRNAs, regulate gene expression and are thought, in most cases, to repress mRNA translation or cause degradation. Continued >>

Cancer molecular signatures, biomarker and prevention
The research in my laboratory is focused on developing biomarkers that can be used for individual risk assessment, early detection, and therapeutic monitoring of cancer. To reach this goal, we have two specific research areas: The first area of research is to study the molecular basis of tumor morphogenesis, we focus our effort on investigating how cytoskeletal proteins, specifically the microfilament actin and the associated binding... Continued >>

Immunogenetics and transplantation immunology 
Dr. Reed's current research efforts are focused on understanding the mechanism of chronic allograft rejection. The development of anti-HLA antibodies following transplantation is associated with transplant atherosclerosis, a manifestation of chronic allograft rejection. We postulate that anti-HLA antibodies are pathogenic in chronic rejection by binding to HLA class I molecules on endothelium and smooth muscle of the allograft... Continued >>

Pathologic basis of neoplastic disease
The laboratory has a number of ongoing projects related to: Use of tumor markers to characterize neoplastic proliferations. These include use of immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization to identify tumor antigens and gene products associated with neoplastic transformation and tumor progression. Mechanisms of lymphomagenesis including the role of dendritic cells in the pathogenesis of lymphomas... Continued >>

Molecular mechanism of carcinogenesis
The work is centered on gene-environment-nutrition interactions in carcinogenesis. Why certain people are predisposed to environmentally caused cancer and how nutrition can counteract such elevated cancer risk. As research organisms we use yeast, mammalian cells and mice. Endpoints are mostly genetic instability, mutations, DNA single and double strand breaks, DNA repair efficiency and oxidative DNA damage. Continued >>

Autoimmune diseases:  T, NKT and dendritic cells; immune tolerance; biomarkers
Interactions between different immune cells, including dendritic cells, T cells, and B cells, in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, with a current focus on cellular migration, immune tolerance induction, immune modulation, roles of sex chromosomes and sex hormones, epigenetic regulation of immune response genes. More Info >>

Dr. Song has accumulated extensive diagnostic and multidisciplinary expertise in managing hematolymphoid disorders. In addition, she has become an internationally recognized expert in clinical flow cytometry. More Info >>

Signaling and epigenetics in immune system development and cancer
My laboratory studies two overlapping areas with emerging roles in cancer of the immune system. We initially compared gene expression profiles from B cell tumors that arose in immune deficient versus immune competent settings. This approach resulted in the isolation of a large number of differentially expressed genes. We have characterized these isolates and focused on members of the TCL1 gene family, which... Continued >>

Pathophysiological mechanisms in muscular dystrophy
Much of the research in my lab concerns the cell biology of muscle disease. We are particularly interested in the pathophysiology of muscular dystrophy that is caused by null mutations of the gene that encodes the membrane associated protein called dystrophin. Loss of dystrophin from humans causes the lethal, progressive disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Although loss of dystrophin is the primary.. Continued >>

Transcriptional regulation of metabolism and inflammation
The nuclear hormone receptors are a family of ligand-activated transcription factors that play diverse roles in mammalian physiology. While it has long been recognized that these proteins are central to development and homeostasis in vertebrate organisms, recent work has begun to define an unexpected role for members of this superfamily in human disease. Obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease... Continued >>

Pathogenesis of degenerative, vascular and malformative diseases of the nervous system
My research interests can be broadly defined as the study of diseases of the human nervous system using a multi-modality approach Our work is primarily focused on human tissues and fluids derived from autopsy or surgical material, though we use animal and tissue culture models that may be relevant to issues in human disease. Key areas of emphasis at present are as follows: Continued >>

Dr. Madhuri Wadehra's research and discovery efforts are focused on two related themes in tumor biology: understanding the function of a tetraspan protein epithelial membrane protein-2 (EMP2) in tumor progression, and developing therapeutic and diagnostic agents that target tumors that overexpress EMP2. Continued >>

Heart, lung and kidney transplant pathology, and lung cancer research
Dr. Wallace's research interests include investigation of chronic rejection of transplanted kidneys and lung. Ongoing studies are looking at architectural and pathologic changes of blood vessels in organs with chronic rejection and the subsequent graft injury. Other areas of interest include testing for molecular changes in the development of lung cancer. Continued >>

Engineered antibodies for cancer targeting and imaging
Our research interests center around understanding and using molecular recognition (protein-protein, nucleic acid-nucleic acid, and protein-nucleic acid) to distinguish tumor cells from normal cells and to develop practical applications in oncology - diagnostic or therapeutic. Recent work has focused on genetic engineering of antibodies to provide optimal agents for delivery of radionuclides to tumor cells. Continued >>

Dr. Yong has an interest in biospecimen research to improve the usability of tissue specimens for biomarker assays and individualized molecular profiling for patients. The lab also focuses on ways to speed the delivery of specimen derivatives to researchers. His laboratory has an interest in pathology informatics including software and RFID technology. It also evaluates and develops approaches for storing biospecimens at room temperature. Continued >>