Arthur E. Humphrey Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Ph.D., 1986, Cornell University (Chemical Engineering)

1024 Vagelos Research Laboratory
Tel: 215-573-5702
Fax: 215-573-5702

Email: sld@seas.upenn.edu

Our laboratory is focused on three main areas of study: (1) blood systems biology; (2) gene delivery technologies; and (3) high throughput biology. 

In the first area, we study human platelet and neutrophil adhesion and signaling as well as blood coagulation under 100's to 1000's of diverse conditions, in the presence or absence of hemodynamic flow. The goal is to predict individualized thrombotic or bleeding risks in the presence of pharmacological modulation or anatomical predisposing factors. 

In the second area, we developed cationic glucocorticoids that lipofect plasmid, target adenovirus and adenoassociated virus to pulmonary epithelium, activate glucocorticoid pathways, bind endotoxin, and kill bacteria. Applications of this work include cystic fibrosis gene therapy, anti-microbial therapies, and local anti-inflammatory therapies. 

The third area relies on utilizing the tools of robotics for high throughput chemical and biological discovery. In various collaborations, we have targeted malaria, tuberculosis, SARS, C. albicans, and numerous cysteine and serine proteases.

Selected Publications:

Shah PP, Myers MC, Beavers MP, Purvis JE, Jing H, Grieser HJ, Sharlow ER, Napper AD, Huryn DM, Cooperman BS, Smith AB, Diamond SL. (2008) Kinetic characterization and molecular docking of a novel, potent, and selective slow-binding Inhibitor of human cathepsin L. Molecular Pharmacology. 74(1):34.

Purvis JE, Chatterjee MS, Brass LF, Diamond SL. (2008) A molecular signaling model of platelet phosphoinositide and calcium regulation during homeostasis and P2Y1 activation. Blood 112(10):4069.

Barker G, Diamond SL. (2008) RNA interference screen to identify pathways that enhance or reduce nonviral gene transfer during lipofection.  Molec. Therapy.16(9):1602.

Okorie U, WS Denney, MS Chatterjee, KB Neeves, SL Diamond (2008) Determination of surface tissue factor thresholds that trigger coagulation at venous and arterial shear rates: Amplification of 100 fM circulating tissue factor requires flow. Blood 111:3507.

Price P, Limberis M, Gruneich J, Wilson JM , Diamond SL (2007) Pulmonary delivery of adenovirus vector formulated with dexamethasone-spermine facilitates homologous vector re-administration. Gene Therapy 14:1594.