<<< Investigators/Teams

Pathobiology

Unit Leaders

• Guojun Bu, Ph.D.  
• Phillip I. Tarr, M.D.  

Faculty

• Carolyn L. Cannon, M.D., Ph.D.  
• F. Sessions Cole, M.D.  
• Dennis J. Dietzen, Ph.D.  
• Allan Doctor, M.D.  
• Thomas Ferkol, M.D.  
• Anthony R. French, M.D., Ph.D.  
• Aaron Hamvas, M.D.  
• David B. Haslam, M.D.  
• Keith A. Hruska, M.D.  
• David A. Hunstad, M.D.  
• Jeffrey S. McKinney, M.D., Ph.D.  
• Alan L. Schwartz, Ph.D., M.D.  
• Fei Fang Shih, M.D., Ph.D.  

The Pathobiology Research Unit (PBRU) consists of thirteen research laboratories and staff. The PBRU amalgamates investigators interested in the molecular pathophysiology of disease, microbial pathogenesis, and the host's response to infection, immunity, and inflammation. The Unit focuses largely on diseases relevant to children.

Specifically, PBRU investigators study a variety of intra- and extra-cellular processes, such as the role of the proteosome in regulating transcription factor activity, receptor ligand interactions and endocytosis, matrix-mediated signaling, metalloproteinase function, protein secretion and targeting, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bacterial and viral infections, immunodeficiencies and autoimmunity, and host and cellular factors that determine a variety of inflammatory responses. Our groups employ diverse tools, examples of which include confocal microscopy, laser capture microdissection, electrophysiology, genomics, proteomics, and gnotobiotic systems, to prevent or treat a variety of human diseases in general, and childhood diseases in particular. Specific clinical problems that could be helped by our efforts include cancer; kidney diseases and their complications; urinary, pulmonary, and gut infections; inflammatory bowel disease; cystic fibrosis; liver diseases; arthritis; and lupus.