Tinsley R. Harrison Translational Research Program Mentors 2008-2009
 

Name: Section: Research:
David M. Herrington, MD, MPH Cardiology Dr. Herrington's current research focus is on genetic determinants of atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction.
William Gregory Hundley, MD Cardiology Dr. Hundley uses cardiovascular magnetic resonance to noninvasively study and analyze the heart and arterial system.  Those that participate will observe scanning, perform image analysis, and assemble data for presentation and publication.
 
David C. Sane, M.D. Cardiology Dr. Sane's research involves translational approaches to evaluating platelet function and thrombotic risks in patients with coronary artery disease.
 
 
 
 
David P. Miller, Jr., MD General Internal Medicine Dr. Miller conducts health services research and educational research. Current work includes developing web-based patient education materials for low literacy patients, testing interventions to improve colorectal cancer screening rates, examining the impact of pharmaceutical marketing on physicians' decisions, and creating on-line educational curricula for physicians and medical students. 
Stephen B. Kritchevsky, Ph.D. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Dr. Kritchevsky's research interests are broad and include the role of inflammatory processes as predictors of functional decline and the role of nutrition and body composition in the development of age-related chronic disease and functional decline.
Barbara J. Nicklas, Ph.D. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Dr. Nicklas studies metabolic, physiologic, and hormonal adaptations to exercise training and weight loss in the elderly.
Identification of therapies that diminish the adverse health effects of weight gain, inactivity, and accumulation of abdominal adipose tissue in older men and women.
 
Osvaldo Delbono, MD, PhD Gerontology, Physiology and Pharmacology The Delbono laboratory research focuses on aging skeletal muscle structure and function in human and animal models, including mouse, rat, and monkey.  Specific areas of interest include: the mechanisms of age-dependent regulation of excitation-contraction coupling, gene expression, protein interaction, and intracellular signaling pathways; the effect of aging on muscle innervation and motor unit remodeling; and the role of engineered trophic/growth factor fusion protein constructs targeted to muscle or spinal cord motor neurons and their potential beneficial effect on aging muscle composition and function.
Glenn J. Lesser, MD. Hematology and Oncology Dr. Lesser studies brain tumors, cancer pain, chemotherapy, and experimental therapies.
John Owen, MD. Hematology and Oncology Dr. Owen's lab works in the area of diagnostics in hematology. Most of his efforts are currently directed towards TTP and MPD. More precisely focusing on ADAMTS13 in TTP and JAK2 in MPV. Technologies span immunology, enzyme activity and molecular biology.
 
William Jeffrey Petty, MD. Hematology and Oncology

Dr. Petty is developing novel strategies for cancer treatment and prevention targeting epidermal growth factor receptor and retinoid signaling pathways with a focus on translational research.  
Mercedes Porosnicu, MD Hematology and Oncology Dr. Porosnicu's area of laboratory research interest is in Oncolytic Viruses. Her lab has developed a model of recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus expressing suicide genes that are currently being evaluated on cancer cell lines, animal models and patients tumor tissue. Moreover, they are evaluating the potential to combine this virus model with radiotherapy. The lab also plans to investigate the mechanisms of virus induced oncolysis.
Kevin P. High, MD Infectious Diseases,  Hematology-Oncology/Molecular Medicine   Dr. High's research is aimed at enhancing immune responses and resistance to infection in older adults. As one ages, classical immunity and host defenses wane leading to poor vaccine responses and infection risk. His laboratory is focusing on translational research (mouse and human studies) that identify immune mechanisms that are preserved into advanced age and may be exploited for new vaccine platforms. 
Marina Nunez, MD, PhD Infectious Diseases Dr. Nunez performs clinical research on HCV and HBV infection with or without HIV co-infection and hepatotoxicity of antiretroviral drugs.
Christopher A. Ohl, MD Infectious Diseases  Dr. Ohl's interest is in regional surveillance for antimicrobial resistance in community and hospital pathogens.  Clinical antimicrobial resistance and its relationship to antibiotic use.   Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in the community and hospital.  Bioterrorism.  Emerging Infections.
 
Michael Seeds, Ph.D. Molecular Medicine and Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Dr. Seeds’ lab, in conjunction with Duncan Hite, MD, addresses the hypothesis that specific secretory phospholipases A2 are released during the inflammatory phase of ALI and ARDS, where they hydrolyze pulmonary surfactant phospholipids, decrease phosphatidylglycerol, and play a major role in limiting endogenous surfactant function and clinical recovery from acute respiratory failure.  Specifically, the Seeds’ lab seeks to measure the sPLA2 present in BAL samples from ARDS subjects, both identifying the gene expressed and determining the level and mechanism of activation.  Cell lines are used in vitro to verify mechanisms for activation of sPLA2 in cells representing the inflamed lung.
Richard F. Loeser, MD Molecular Medicine and Rheumatology Dr. Loeser's lab studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis and the role of aging. He has two studies funded using human articular chondrocytes in cell culture studies that examine the control of cell signaling pathways regualtion matrix synthesis and degradation. He also has a gene array study using a mouse model of osteoarthritis. His clinical research is on exercise and weight loss interventions for osteoarthritis.
Thomas D. DuBose Jr., M.D. Nephrology Dr. DuBose's lab focuses on understanding how renal tubular transporters regulate potassium balance and acid secretion by the kidney.
Raymond Penn, Ph.D. Pulmonary and Critical Care Dr. Penns's research focuses on mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling and regulation in primary cell types, how such regulation influences cell functions such as secretion, contraction, and growth, and how these processes/mechanisms are influenced by disease state or gene variation.  There is a significant emphasis on characterizing important biochemical processes in primary cell types and establishing the relevance of these findings in more integrative models ranging from intact cells to organ systems.  This work relies on relationships with numerous basic science and clinical investigators who offer access to cells as well as integrative models systems for establishing functional significance of signal transduction paradigms. 
Mishra Nilamadhab, MD Rheumatology and Immunology Dr. Mishra's lab investigates basic mechanisms relevant to the development of systemic lupus erythematosis and the relationship of SLE to atherosclerosis. This work includes studies of epigenetic modifications that affect T cell function.