Rami A. Namas, MD

Dr. Namas' long-term research goals are to obtain high-dimensional, dynamic data on the etiology and progression of various inflammatory processes and diseases in samples derived from cells, animals, and humans; to create computational models based on these data; and to modulate the inflammatory response in an optimal spatial, temporal, and individual- / disease-specific manner. More specifically, his research interests, carried out in the context of an interdisciplinary research team, are the following:

• Mechanisms regulating trauma-induced inflammation coupled with data-driven modeling to gain insights into the dynamics of the inflammatory response in human blunt trauma
• Novel class of biohybrid devices for regulating inflammation which target Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) through the delivery of a protein antagonist (sTNFR) via genetically modified human hepatocytes
• Mechanisms regulating inflammation in the setting of trauma and sepsis in murine experimental models and human subjects
• Systems biology and mathematical modeling of inflammation and wound healing in various disease states, especially infection, trauma, and hemorrhage, and the application of these computational approaches to regenerative medicine and rational drug/device design
• Control of the inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS2) by the cytokine transforming growth factor-b1 (TGF-b1) in numerous physiological and pathological settings
• Modulation of inflammation in hemorrhagic shock
• Mechanisms of LPS action on hepatocytes and macrophages
• Role of NO and TGF-b1 in the modulation of the pro-apoptotic protein BNIP