The current research in my lab seeks to further our understanding of the role of inflammation in vascular pathology. Specifically, we focus on:
The contributions of the two Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2, to vascular remodeling following injury.
The role of signal transduction cascades downstream of the TNF receptors that regulate growth, survival or apoptosis of cells that participate in the vascular repair response.
The potential efficacy of TNF-inhibitory molecules in attenuating pathophysiological vascular remodeling.
Cross-talk between cytokine and growth factor receptors.

My lab employs different in vivo models of vascular injury as well as in vitro culture of primary cells derived from mice with specific gene deletions to achieve these objectives.

In vivo we study the arterialization of murine inferior vena cava segments surgically grafted into the carotid circulation of recipient mice - a process that mimics venous remodeling following coronary artery bypass grafting in patients.

In vitro we focus on proliferation, migration and activation of regulatory factors and protein kinase cascades downstream of receptor activation.