Gillian M. Schiralli Lester, Ph.D.

In general, I am interested in the regulation of gene expression and how that relates to disease progression. My previous studies have centered on investigating cell signaling mechanisms which regulate Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) replication with the goal of identifying novel factors which could then be targeted for therapeutic development. I now turn my focus onto developing gene delivery strategies to treat acute lung injury. I am particularly interested in dissecting cellular pathways which are required for cytoplasmic trafficking fo plasmid DNA into the nucleus, the site of efficient transcription. Understanding the minimal signals and cell machinery that are required for DNA movement will provide the needed background for developing novel routes for targeted gene delivery in specific cell types.