Nusrat and Parkos Laboratories
Emory Epithelial Pathobiology Unit
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Faculty |
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Name: Nancy A. Louis |
Degree: MD Title: Assistant Professor Email: nlouis@emory.edu Project Summary: I have recently joined the Digestive Disease Research Center at Emory University where my current projects focus on the mechanisms underlying the clearance of neutrophils from the apical intestinal epithelium. Specifically, we have shown that decay-accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) is a hypoxia-responsive apical epithelial membrane protein facilitating PMN detachment from the epithelial surface following transmigration. This PMN anti-adhesive activity of CD55 has been localized to the third short consensus repeat (SCR3) domain of CD55 although the relevant amino acid residues within that domain remain to be identified. Ongoing projects aim to further refine our understanding of the role of the SCR3 domain and to determine the specific critical residues within this region. Through an improved understanding of the mechanism underlying CD55-mediated PMN clearance, we plan to more specifically target this interaction in order to determine its physiologic significance in PMN-mediated intestinal inflammation in murine models of colitis.
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Name: Dominique Weber |
Degree: PhD Title: Assistant Professor/Lab Manager Email: dweber@emory.edu Project Summary: Before joining the Parkos laboratory, two years ago, my field of research was immunology and was focused on antigen processing and presentation. I investigated the MHC class II antigen presentation pathway, which is required for antigen recognition by CD4+ T lymphocytes. Peptide binding by class II histocompatibility CD4+ proteins is a critical event in shaping the T cell repertoire and the generation of both adaptive immunity and immunological tolerance. The class II peptide-loading pathway is highly regulated. HLA-DM plays a key role in the MHC class II presentation pathway: catalyzing peptide loading, editing the repertoire of peptides displayed to CD4+ T cells, and acting as a chaperone for empty class II molecules. However, the biochemical mechanisms underlying these functions remain to be elucidated. I also studied the function of so-called “non-classical” class I MHC (class Ib) molecules in the immune system that can present antigen to a subset of unconventional CD8+ T cells that may have specialized regulatory function. I brought to the Parkos lab expertise in protein chemistry and protein purification as well as a structural analysis approach to study the interactions between ligand-receptor pairs, such as CD47- SIRP-alpha molecules, or JAM-L-CAR. Signal regulatory proteins (SIRP-alpha, -beta, and -gamma) are important regulators of several innate immune functions that include leukocyte migration. Understanding the nature of interactions between receptors involved either in the maintenance of epithelial barriers or in the migration of leukocytes during inflammatory responses may allow regulation of acute inflammation. These findings may also help to provide new reagents and ideas for anti-inflammatory therapies.
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Name: Oskar Laur |
Degree: PhD Title: Instructor Email: olaur@emory.edu Project Summary: Expert consultant in molecular cloning and creation of viral constructs.
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