Projects

Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction

Recent research has positioned airway epithelial cells at the center of mucosal immune responses, because they sense and respond to inhaled allergens, particles and viruses and influence both innate and adaptive immunity. In addition to producing chemokines and cytokines that recruit and activate their target cells, epithelial cells form a physical barrier to the outside world. The epithelial barrier includes apical junctional complexes (AJC) consisting of tight and adherens junctions between neighboring cells. Emerging evidence indicates that epithelial AJC dysfunction is associated with asthma, but mechanisms involved in this process are poorly understood.

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Airway Oscillometry

Oscillometry is a noninvasive method of measuring respiratory mechanical properties that utilizes pressure waves applied to the mouth during tidal breathing across a range of frequencies.  While oscillometry has been studied extensively over several decades, questions remain on how to best interpret these measurements across a variety of conditions.  In ongoing studies, we are exploring how different airway diseases, including asthma and vocal cord dysfunction, impact oscillometry measurements.

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Race and PFT’s

It has been widely observed that Black subjects in the United States have lower forced vital capacity than white subjects, which is thought to be reflect genetic ancestry, as well as environmental and socioeconomic factors, that are difficult to disentangle.  Although current guidelines recommend using race-based pulmonary function test (PFT) interpretation strategies, there is currently a major debate whether this is still appropriate.  Advocates of using race-based PFT interpretation argue that it allows for more precise measurement, and will minimize disease misclassification.  In contrast, recent studies have shown that low lung function (especially FEV1)  in Black subjects should not be considered normal.  Furthermore, the use of race-based algorithms in medicine in general is being increasingly questioned, because they run the risk of perpetuating structural health care disparities.  Using a historical database of PFT’s performed at the University of Rochester, we are exploring how using race-based vs. race-neutral PFT reference datasets impacts the diagnostic utility of spirometry.

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Clinical Research Projects

We are currently enrolling subjects in the following clinical trials.  Please contact Dr. Georas, or the study coordinators listed below, if you are interested in participating or referring a subject for participation.

Learn more about Clinical Research Projects