Patricia Loughran

I have a long-standing interest in the molecular and cellular mechanisms that are necessary in modification of protein expression, localization and binding partners in models of inflammation and trauma. Additional interest includes the sequence of events that generate protein modification that may lead to the removal of cellular protein(s) or organelles in response to physiologic stimuli to minimize damage within the host organism as it modulates stress(es). This area of research is based on clinical data in a patient population with complications of inflammation and the accompanying immune dysregulation. Initially, these patients present with early inflammation-associated organ dysfunction and subsequent infection as the immune defenses are suppressed with the concomitant pro-inflammation. The primary approach of these research studies involves multiple molecular and cell biologic approaches, as such I will provide relevant expertise and scientific support to quantitate macrophage phagocytosis of bacteria in the lungs and other tissue. The primary approach of these research studies involves multiple molecular and cell biologic approaches, as such I will provide relevant expertise and scientific support to define the biological mechanism of the adaptive response to bacterial clearance and attenuated systemic inflammation. Microscopy and single-cell approaches are key tools in the defining of the host phenotype response to trauma and its' inverse relationship to a sustained upregulation of inflammatory pathways and suppression of immune defenses. Specifically, I function to generate a broad array of microscope based optical imaging approaches and the necessary single cell quantitative methodologies.