Basic Research Programs
The Alvira Lab
Molecular Control of Alveolarization
In contrast to other organs, the lung completes a significant portion of its development immediately prior to and after birth. During this stage of alveolarization, division of the alveolar ducts into alveolar sacs by secondary septation, and expansion of the pulmonary capillary bed via angiogenesis increase the gas exchange surface area of the lung by 20-fold. However, postnatal completion of growth renders the lung highly susceptible to environmental insults that disrupt this developmental program. This is particularly evident in the setting of preterm birth, where disruption of alveolarization causes bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease associated with significant morbidity during infancy and a higher risk for the development of future lung diseases during adulthood. Pulmonary angiogenesis is essential for alveolarization, and disruption of angiogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of BPD. The overall objective of the Alvira Laboratory is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that direct pulmonary angiogenesis and alveolar development. To this end, the lab is currently focused on three fundamental scientific goals: (i) identification of the signaling pathways that regulate the transition between the saccular and alveolar stages of lung development; (ii) exploration of the interplay between postnatal vascular and alveolar development; and (iii) determination of developmentally regulated pathways that mediate lung repair after injury.
The Cornfield Lab
Oxygen Sensing in the Transitional Pulmonary Circulation
Over the past 20 years, the Cornfield Laboratory has focused upon basic, translational and clinical research, with a primary focus on lung biology. As an active clinician-scientist, delivering care to acutely and chronically ill infants and children, I have noted the evolution of chronic and acute lung diseases in infants and children in terms of disease manifestation, diagnosis, management and epidemiology. Accordingly, the areas of emphasis of the laboratory continue to evolve, shift, and even occasionally change entirely. Currently, the Laboratory is engaged in 4 distinct, but related areas of research.
The Kuo Lab
Development and Function of Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cells
Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells are specialized cells with sensory, secretory, and stem cell functions and many form highly innervated clusters of cells. Abnormal distributions of NE cells throughout the lung are associated with pediatric respiratory conditions such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), premature birth, and cell hyperplasia as well as the most aggressive human lung cancer. The Kuo lab is using single cell genetic approaches to perform a comprehensive study of NE cell development and now using single cell whole genome RNA sequencing to reveal diversity of NE cells in development and signaling function.