Summary of Overall Division Research Direction

The division’s research activities include clinical trials of drugs (mycophenolate vs. oral cyclophosphamide) in treatment of Scleroderma interstitial lung disease,  developing countermeasures for chemical warfare agents (using various agents to hasten repair of wounds in animal models of chemical weapons injury), determining the effects of environmental exposures in bronchial asthma and COPD and determining the mechanisms behind the central ventilatory response to hypoxia.

Impact of Division Research

Research by Dr. Riley could improve the course and outcomes of Scleroderma interstitial lung disease by showing the greater efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil (as opposed to the current therapy of choice, cyclophosphamide) in scleroderma interstitial lung disease. A second study involves looking into Bosentan in similar conditions. Dr. Neubauer and Sunderram’s studies documenting heme-oxygenase involvement in central hypoxic responses provide a paradigm for further investigations on how the brain responds to and adapts to hypoxia. Dr. Hussain’s studies quantifying specific environmental influences on airway obstruction in COPD and bronchial asthma and their mechanisms should help clinicians better understand the role of the environment in exacerbations of lung disease. Finally, a better understanding of the evolving pulmonary problems of World Trade Center 9/11 first responders is being uncovered by Dr. Sotolongo in collaboration with Dr. Udasin in EOHSI.

Publications

• Sunderram, J, Semmlow J, Thakker-Varia S, Bhaumik M, Hoang-Le O, Neubauer JA. Heme oxygenase-1 dependent central cardiorespiratory adaptations to chronic hypoxia in mice. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 297: R300-R312, 2009.
• Chang YC, Sabourin CL, Lu SE, Sasaki T, Svoboda KK, Gordon MK, Riley DJ, Casillas RP, Gerecke DR. Upregulation of gamma-2 laminin-322 in the mouse ear vesicant wound model. J. Biochem. Mol. Toxicol. 23: 172-184, 2009.
• D’Agostino D, Mazza Jr. E, Neubauer JA. Heme oxygenase is necessary for the excitatory response of cultured neonatal rat rostral ventrolateral medulla neurons to hypoxia. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 296: R102-R118, 2009.
• Langhammer CG, Garg K, Neubauer JA, Rosenthal S, Kinzy TG. Medical Student Research Exposure via a series of modular research programs. J. Invest. Med. 57: 11-17, 2009.

Abstract Listing

• Shakarjian MP, Vetrano AM, Gray JP, DeSantis AS, Riley DJ, Laskin JD, Chang Y-C, Gerecke DP, Heck DE. Cell adhesion and migration changes in response to alkylation of laminin322. U.S. Army Med. Defense Biosciences Rev. A138, 2008.
• Shakarjian MP, Vetrano AM, Gray JP, DeSantis AS, Riley DJ, Laskin JD, Chang Y-C, Gerecke DR, Heck DE. Disruption of keratinocyte-basement membrane (BM) component interactions by sulfur mustard (SM) analogues. The Toxicologist. A552, 2009