Welcome to our laboratory
Over the past several years the laboratory research has been focused on the immunologic mechanisms involved in development of asthma and respiratory virus infections. The basic research in the lab has identified numerous targets that are being pursued for alleviating chronic pulmonary disease and at the same time we continue to gain a better understanding of how pulmonary immune responses develop. We have established animal models of pulmonary disease that allow us to ask basic mechanistic questions as well as perform pre-clinical assessment of pharmacologic targets. Our model of allergic airway disease that recapituates several clinical features of allergic asthma is induced using a cockroach skin test antigen that elicits a strong Th2 skewed response with characteristic eosinophil accumulation and mucus overproduction, as depicted below. The areas investigated using this airway models include mast cell biology, eosinophilic inflammation, dendritic cell biology and T lymphocyte activation and differentiation. The laboratory has examined the role of pulmonary viral infections on exacerbation and increased development of allergic asthmatic responses. Identification of specific cytokine and chemokine mediators that are involved in each of these models have been elucidated and studies have correlated these pathways to clinical disease using physiological measurements in the lung.
The virus infection that we have been most interested in investigating is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Nearly all infants get infected with RSV by age 2 and due to their small airways, which get easily occluded, many suffer from severe bronchiolitis. It is estimated by CDC that up to 125,000 pediatric hospitalizations in the United States each year are due to RSV. Many of these infants progress to a chronic pulmonary condition that can contribute to development of airways disease. Although RSV is considered as a pediatric disease it is also recognized as an important pathogen for the elderly and patients with chronic lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma and is associated with a mortality rate of 30-100% in immunosuppressed individuals. Moreover the role of RSV in acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) causing prolonged episodes of illness has been recently appreciated. Recurrent infections with RSV are common and the disease is known to exist long after the virus has been cleared. The RSV disease pathology is clinically characterized by airway hyperreactivity (AHR), increased mucus production and inflammation. Recent studies in the laboratory have been focused on the function and signal transduction pathways of toll-like receptor (TLR) molecules in pulmonary inflammation with a specific focus on DC and airway epithelial cells. This has led to the investigation of novel mechanisms such as Notch and their cognate ligands for regulation of development of immune responses and development of chronic disease.
GFP-RSV infection in DC RSV-induced mucus
![]() Breast team reviewing a patient's slide. (From left to right) Ghassan Allo, Fellow; Laura Walters, Clinical Lecturer; Celina Kleer, Professor. See Article 2014Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Autopsy Technician draws blood while working in the Wayne County morgue. See Article 2016Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Dr. Sriram Venneti, MD, PhD and Postdoctoral Fellow, Chan Chung, PhD investigate pediatric brain cancer. See Article 2017Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Director of the Neuropathology Fellowship, Dr. Sandra Camelo-Piragua serves on the Patient and Family Advisory Council. 2018Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Residents Ashley Bradt (left) and William Perry work at a multi-headed scope in our new facility. 2019Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Dr. Kristine Konopka (right) instructing residents while using a multi-headed microscope. 2020Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Patient specimens poised for COVID-19 PCR testing. 2021Department Chair |
![]()
newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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![]() Dr. Pantanowitz demonstrates using machine learning in analyzing slides. 2022Department Chair |
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newsletter
INSIDE PATHOLOGYAbout Our NewsletterInside Pathology is an newsletter published by the Chairman's Office to bring news and updates from inside the department's research and to become familiar with those leading it. It is our hope that those who read it will enjoy hearing about those new and familiar, and perhaps help in furthering our research. CONTENTS
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MLabs, established in 1985, functions as a portal to provide pathologists, hospitals. and other reference laboratories access to the faculty, staff and laboratories of the University of Michigan Health System’s Department of Pathology. MLabs is a recognized leader for advanced molecular diagnostic testing, helpful consultants and exceptional customer service.