Research strengths
Mission: Faculty from Environmental Medicine, Pediatrics, Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Medicine, and Vaccine Biology and Immunology collaborate in this world-class, organ-based lung program dedicated to excellence in basic science, translational research, clinical trials, and improved patient care through: a consolidated core of investigators; enhanced research collaboration and activity; educational and mentoring programs; and faculty recruitment across disciplines.
Summary: The Lung Biology and Disease Program builds on the work of faculty members throughout the Medical Center whose investigations span a number of human lung diseases:
- Infectious disease
- Asthma (experienced by five percent of the population)
- Occupational and environmental inflammatory diseases
- Lung scarring (results in four percent of deaths)
- Lung cancer (leading cause of death due to cancer in the U.S.)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/COPD (4th leading cause of death)
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Neonatal lung disease
- Platelet/thrombosis research
Technology Transfer and Business Development Successes:
- Successfully evaluated a new chemokine receptor antagonist to help prevent cigarette smoke lung damage using a preclinical animal model. Efficacy in the preclinical model supported moving forward with a clinical trial.
- Prior success with major biotech and pharmaceutical firms providing technical expertise, preclinical models of lung scarring and primary human cells for drug evaluation.
- Prior success in providing corporate partners with scientific expertise, in vitro testing of lead compounds, and tests for efficacy in animal models of scarring and inflammation. New findings permitted lead compounds to move forward toward clinical testing.
Group members currently have agreements/collaborations with leading healthcare companies to test new treatments for lung disease.
Dr. Phipps is an inventor on three patents:
US 6,395,282 Bl
05/28/02 |
Immunologic Conjugates of Gram-Negative Bacterial Autoinducer Molecules |
US 6,713,059 B2
03/30/04 |
Anibodies raised against immunogenic conjugates of gram-negative bacterial audoinducer molecules. |
US 6,958,219 B2
10/25/05 |
Method for detecting a gram-negative bacterial autoinducer 10/25/05 molecule. |
Leadership
Richard P. Phipps, Ph.D.
Professor of Environmental Medicine, Oncology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology
Director, Lung Biology and Disease Program
Jacob. N Finkelstein
Professor of Pediatrics, Environmental Medicine, and Radiation Oncology
Günter Oberdörster, Ph.D.
Professor of Environmental Medicine
Mark J. Utell
Professor of Medicine and of Environmental Medicine
Director, Occupational Medicine Program and Associate Chair of Environmental Medicine
Director, Pulmonary Uni
Examples of Currently Funded Cardiovascular Research Projects
