Research Asistant Professor of Physiology
Dr. Fahey did his undergraduate work at Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, MD, where he received a B.S. in Biology. Following graduate training in Medical Microbiology (M.S.) and Cell Biology (Ph.D., 1977) at the University of Vermont, he had a one-year teaching fellowship in the Biology Department at Clark University. He then obtained a post-doctoral appointment with Professor Allan Munck in the Physiology Department at DMS. In the 1980s, he taught full-time at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont and was awarded tenure. Returning to the Dartmouth area, he initially worked for a small biotechnology company before returning to the Physiology Department at DMS in 1996.
Working with Professor Wira's Program Project, Dr. Fahey studies the role of epithelial cells in the female reproductive tract (FRT) in both innate and adaptive immunity. In the former, he is most interested in small anti-microbial peptides called defensins that are produced by epithelial cells in the FRT. These "natural antibiotics" are a first line of protection against sexually transmitted diseases and other microbial infections caused by bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses. He is also investigating the capability of FRT epithelial cells to participate in the induction of immune responses (adaptive immunity) by the release of cytokines and the presentation of antigen to lymphocytes.
The effect of sex hormones on epithelial cell defensin production and activity, as well as how sex hormones modulate the role of epithelial cells in the induction of immune responses in the FRT are the primary interests of this research.
Fahey JV and Wira CR. Effect of menstrual status on antibacterial activity and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor production by human uterine epithelial cells in culture. J. Infect. Dis. 185:1606-1613, 2002.
Wira CR and Fahey JV The innate immune system: gatekeeper to the female reproductive tract. Immunology 111:13-15, 2004.
Schaefer TM, Fahey JV, Wright JA, and Wira CR. Innate Immunity in the Human Female Reproductive Tract: Antiviral response of Uterine Epithelial Cells to the TLR3 Agonist Poly (I:C), J Immunol, 174, 992-1002, 2005.
Fahey JV, Schaefer TM, Channon JY and Wira CR. Secretion of cytokines and chemokines by polarized human epithelial cells from the female reproductive tract. Hum Reprod, 20: 1439-1446, 2005.
Meter RA, Fahey JV and Wira CW. Secretion of monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 by polarized human uterine epithelium directs monocyte migration in culture. Fertil Steril, 84:191-201, 2005.
Wira CR, Fahey JV, Sentman CL, Pioli PA, Shen L. Innate and adaptive immunity in female genital tract: cellular responses and interactions. Immunol Rev.206:306-335, 2005.Fahey JV, Wallace PK, Johnson K, Guyre PM and Wira CR. Antigen presentation by human uterine epithelial cells to autologous T cells. Am J Reprod Immunol. 55: 1-11, 2006.
Fahey JV, Schaefer TM and Wira CR. Sex hormone modulation of human uterine epithelial cell immune responses. J Integ and Comp Biology, 46: 1082-1087, 2006.
Ghosh, M, Schaefer TM, Fahey JV, Wright JA, Wira CR, Antiviral Responses of Human Fallopian Tube Epithelial Cells to Toll-like Receptor 3 Agonist Poly(I:C). Fertility and Sterility, 89: 1497-1506, 2007.
Wira CR, Fahey JV, Schaefer TM, Sentman CL, Pioli PA and Shen L. The Mucosal Immune System in the Human Female Reproductive Tract: Influence of Stage of the Menstrual Cycle and Menopause on Mucosal Immunity in the Uterus. In: The Endometrium: Molecular, Cellular and Clinical Perspectives, Second Edition, Informa Healthcare, London, ch.33, pp 491-521, 2007. (Glasser S, Aplin J, Giudice L and Tabibzadeh S, eds.)
Ochiel, DO, Fahey JV, Ghosh M, Haddad SN, Wira CR. Innate immunity in the female reproductive tract: role of sex hormones in regulating uterine epithelial cell protection against pathogens. 2008 Current Women’s Health Reviews, 4: 102-117.
Fahey JV, Wright JA, Schaefer TM, Ghosh M, Rossoll RM, Wira CR. Estradiol selectively regulates innate immune function by polarized human uterine epithelial cells in culture: Nature: Mucosal Immunology, 1: 317-325, 2008.
Wira CR, Fahey JV, Schaefer TS, Pioli P, Sentman C and Shen L. Innate and adaptive immunity in the human female reproductive tract: influence of the menstrual cycle and menopause on the mucosal immune system in the uterus. In: The Endometrium: Molecular, cellular and clinical perspectives. (Aplin, J., Fazleabas, A.T., Glasser, S.R., Giudice, L.C., eds.) Informa UK Ltd 2008. pp. 493-523.
Wira CR, Fahey JV, A new strategy to understand how HIV infects women: identification of a window of vulnerability during the menstrual cycle. AIDS 2008 (in Press).
[8/15/08]