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Investigación |
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The Respiratory Diseases Division at Children`s Hospital Boston is committed to advancing the understanding of pulmonary disease through basic, translational and clinical research.
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The Division is actively involved in several clinical research projects. Members of the Division are investigating pulmonary outcomes of prematurity, manifestations of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, the management of parapneumonic effusion and necrotizing pneumonia, and sleep disturbance in children. Several studies are ongoing regarding Cystic Fibrosis including but not limited to epidemiological studies, the pathobiology of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the use of induced sputum in evaluating infection and inflammation, and the role of modifier genes in disease expression. The Cystic Fibrosis Center at Children's Hospital has been designated a Therapeutics Development Center by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and is also currently engaged in a variety of early clinical trials involving novel therapeutics for Cystic Fibrosis.
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Members of the Division are engaged in basic research projects exploring mechanisms pertinent to a wide variety of pulmonary diseases. These include investigations into the basic mechanisms of asthma, the role and mechanisms of inflammation in lung diseases including Cystic Fibrosis, and the physiologic manifestations of injury to the lung during growth. A major component of the Division's research is centered in the Ina Sue Perlmutter Laboratories at Children's Hospital under the direction of Norma Gerard, Ph.D. The work in this laboratory focuses on inflammatory responses in the lung, particularly the identification and function of chemokines and their receptors. The laboratory has elucidated the roles of these receptors in both amplifying some disease processes and reducing others. One such chemokine receptor has recently been shown to act as a co-receptor for the AIDS virus.
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Go to Research website
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Fellows in Children's Division of Pulmonary Medicine have the opportunity to work in the above laboratories as well as others throughout the Harvard Medical system, and surrounding universities. For example, fellows have persued projects at the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard School of Public Health, and at MIT. Some projects have included:
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- development of monoclonal opsonic antibodies against mucoid Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
- the study of the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) family of cytokines on cultured human airway smooth muscle cells
- examination of the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in airway hyporesponsiveness
- the study of regulation of the signaling pathway of beta oxidation of fatty acids in muscle and adipocytes
- investigation of the role of C5a (complement factor 5 a) in host defense of the lung against bacterial infection, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa
- exploration of the role of C5a in airway hyperresponsiveness
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- Norma Gerard, PhD: Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Research Associate, Children's Hospital Boston
- Hyeryn Choe, PhD: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Research Associate, Children's Hospital Boston
- Bao Lu, MD: Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Research Associate, Children's Hospital Boston
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Go to Research website
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