I presently direct three
major research projects.
The first project
involves the study of autoimmune antiphospholipid antibodies (aPA)
that are associated with thrombosis, atherosclerosis, microvascular
disease and recurrent pregnancy loss. The thrust of my aPA research
is to delineate the different specificities of aPA, define their
mechanism(s) of action and correlate aPA specificities with clinical
symptoms and pathology. This research also has a clinical component,
inasmuch as my laboratory serves as a reference laboratory to
several medical centers for detection and analyses of aPA in patient
blood. This aPA research has a special relevance to those solid
organ transplant recipients who are diagnosed with primary non-function
or early graft loss, however, the ubiquitous presence of these
antibodies relates to many medicine subspecialties.
The second project
involves the use of high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg)
to neutralize alloantibodies in presensitized patients awaiting
solid organ transplantation. The clinical component of this project
involves monitoring patient bloods subsequent to IVIg treatment
for alloantibodies by flow cytometric assays. The goal of this
research project is to define the mechanism of action whereby
in vivo administration of IVIg can negate positive crossmatches
and enable the sensitized transplant candidate to receive a crossmatch
negative donor organ.
The third project
involves monitoring platelets for early activation markers. The
aim of this project is to develop tests to assess the status of
platelet activation in patient blood, such that recognition of
impending activation can result in early intervention to forestall
or eliminate the potential of thrombosis. This aPA research has
a special relevance to those solid organ transplant recipients
who are diagnosed with primary non-function or early graft loss,
however, the ubiquitous presence of these antibodies relates to
many medicine subspecialties.
Department of Biology