Research

Our research interests lie in identifying novel prevention strategies and developing novel therapeutic approaches for certain chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Although the relationship between chronic inflammation and cancer is now widely accepted, the mechanism(s) by which chronic inflammation affects the risk of developing cancer remains unclear. Over the past few years, our research has been mainly focused on exploring the potential link between chronic lung inflammation and lung cancer. We recently identified that the effects of the common indoor aeroallergen house dust mite (HDM) are not limited to the induction of allergic responses and asthma and that chronic exposure to HDM also accelerates lung cancer development in different mouse models at a dose within the range of human exposure. Using genetic, pharmacological, and immunological approaches, we found that HDM activates the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages, induces interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) production in the lungs, and creates a lung microenvironment conducive to tumor growth. These studies shed new light on the conflicting association between asthma and lung cancer and suggests that long-term exposure to certain aeroallergens such as HDM may represent a new environmental risk factor for lung cancer in susceptible individuals (i.e., individuals co-exposed to lung carcinogens or genetically predisposed to develop lung cancer).

Current projects in the lab aim to investigate the role of the IL-1B and IL-17 signaling pathways and certain inflammasomes in lung inflammation and lung cancer. The overarching goal of our research is to identify which types or subtypes of inflammation act as a critical driver of cancer initiation, development, and progression and to provide the scientific foundation for novel preventive and therapeutic interventions in cancer patients. By better understanding the role of inflammasomes and their contribution to organ-specific inflammation, our investigations may also have implications for other lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and certain chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis.

 Stein Clinical Research Building