COBRE Center for Lung Biology Research
Lung disease is the third most frequent cause of death in this country, claiming ~360,000 Americans annually. Tragically, an additional 25 million live with chronic lung diseases including asthma, emphysema, cancer and cystic fibrosis. Unfortunately, the number of individuals with lung disease is increasing at an alarming rate, thus, a better understanding of the etiology of lung disease and new therapeutics to treat lung disease are required.
The goals of the Dartmouth Lung Biology Center, funded by a COBRE award by the NCRR since 2003 (P20-RR01878), are to enhance the research efforts of our faculty and students by:
- integration of the COBRE supported Proteomics and Imaging Core with shared services of other DMS and DHMC Cores including Bioinformatics and Biostatistics;
- fostering synergistic scientific collaboration through the four COBRE Research Projects, associated Cores, and other basic and translational infrastructure and programs at DMS/DHMC;
- mentoring and supporting the career development of all faculty in the program, and;
- providing administrative support.
The four COBRE/Center funded projects are:
Project 1 - Molecular Mechanisms of Aurora Kinase A Dysfunction in Lung Cancer Principal Investigator: Scott Gerber, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Genetics
Project 2 - A Novel Regulator of P. Aeruginosa Virulence Genes Principal Investigator: Deborah Hogan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Project 3 - Humanizing Alginate Depolymerase: New Strategies for De-immunizing Enzyme Therapies Principal Investigator: Karl Griswold, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Engineering
Project 4 - Biodiesel and Petroleum Diesel: Exposure Profiles and Public Health Consequences Principal Investigator: Nora Traviss, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Keene State College
The Center also funds, with support by a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Research Development Program award, seven pilot and feasibility projects:
P&F Project 1 - Phagocytic Mechanisms of Pseudomonas Clearance within the CF lung
Principal Investigator: Brent Berwin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
P&F Project 2 - Dampening Airway Inflammation by Silencing IL-8 with Poorly Immunogenic siRNA Nanocarriers
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jose Conejo-Garcia, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
P&F Project 3 - Rapid Identification of Pathogens found in the CF Lung
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jane Hill, Assistant Professor of Engineering, University of Vermont
P&F Project 4 - Evaluation of Iron-Related Hematologic Parameters in Adult Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Principal Investigators: Dr. Worth Parker, Associate Professor of Medicine and Dr. Alex Gifford, Senior Fellow in Medicine
P&F Project 5 - Novel Drug Discovery Approaches in CF
Principal Investigator: Dr. Dean Madden, Professor of Biochemistry
P&F Project 6 - The CF Lung Microbiome-Deep Sequencing
Principal Investigator: Dr. George O'Toole, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
P&F Project 7 - The CF Gut Microbiome, Deep Sequencing
Principal Investigator: Dr. Juliette Madan, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
