Areas of Research

The Multicellular Orchestration of Interstitial Lung Disease

We use single cell genomics, ex vivo organoid modeling, precision cut lung slices, and a host of other techniques to study cell-cell signaling in fibrotic lung disease.

Single Cell Sequencing and Interactome in SFTPC Lung Fibrosis — Nature Communicatons - Aberrant intermediate alveolar epithelial cells promote pathogenic activation of lung fibroblasts in preclinical fibrosis models

Alveolar Epithelial Cell Stress and Progenitor Function

We work to understand how intrinsic cell stress signaling (specifically unfolded protein response pathways) impact lung epithelial progenitor cell function.

Proteostatic Dysfunction Drives AT2 Reprogramming — Disruption of proteostasis causes IRE1 mediated reprogramming of alveolar epithelial cells | PNAS

Adult and Pediatric Lung Disease Modeling

Harnessing the genetics of adult lung fibrosis (IPF) and pediatric interstitial lung disease (ChILD) we develop murine models of disease-driving mutations in alveolar type two cells.

AT2 Hyperplasia in human and murine ChILD — Chronic Expression of a Clinical SFTPC Mutation Causes Murine Lung Fibrosis with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Features | American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology (atsjournals.org)

JCI Insight - An SFTPC BRICHOS mutant links epithelial ER stress and spontaneous lung fibrosis

Therapeutic Approach to Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease

We have active projects using gene therapy and transplant, small molecule drugs, and novel inhaled drug delivery vehicles to develop novel approaches to adult and pediatric fibrotic lung disease.

Full list of our publications