About Asma Nusrat, MD

ASMA NUSRAT, MD
Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology
Professor, Emory University School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology
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SUMMARY

Dr. Asma Nusrat has had a long-standing research interest in epithelial cell biology and the basic mechanisms of epithelial barrier regulation and wound closure. After finishing her residency training in pathology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Dr. Nusrat completed her subspecialty training in gastrointestinal/liver pathology at the same institution. During her research fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital she identified a central role of the Rho GTPases in the regulation of tight junctions in intestinal epithelial cells. In addition, her studies on epithelial cell migration provided key insights into the mechanism of wound closure that occurs during mucosal inflammation.

Dr. Nusrat has had a number of seminal findings related to the regulation of tight junction proteins and barrier function during inflammation (Nusrat et al, JCI, 1992, Nusrat et al, JCI, 1994, Nusrat PNAS, 1995, Nusrat JCS 2000). These studies identified key players in epithelial response to inflammation and mechanistically linked epithelial barrier defects to changes in the expression and localization of tight junction proteins. These early studies created the groundwork for the current investigations in the Nusrat Laboratory at Emory University School of Medicine.

On-going studies in the Nusrat laboratory are focused on characterizing the intestinal epithelial response to pro-inflammatory cytokines and identifying novel targets which dampen the deleterious effects of such cytokines on the epithelium, elucidating the role that intercellular junction proteins (namely proteins of the apical junctional complex and desmosomes) play in the regulation of intestinal epithelial homeostasis, and better understanding the process of epithelial cell migration and wound repair in the intestine.

As a highly productive investigator and expert in the field of epithelial cell biology, intercellular junctions, and intestinal inflammation, Dr. Nusrat has contributed significant advances to the understanding of the pathologic mechanisms underlying diseases of the gut.

For additional information on the specific research interests of the Nusrat Laboratory, as well as collaborative efforts with the Parkos and other laboratories, please visit our Research Interests page.

AT A GLANCE

Education
MD, FJ Medical College (1982)
Pathology Residency, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard University (1987-1989)
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard University (1989-1992)

Professional Positions
Instructor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (1992-1996)
Assistant Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (1997)
Assistant Professor of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (1997-2003)
Associate Professor of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (2003-2007)
Professor of Pathology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (2007 - current)
Professor of Cell Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA (2009 - current)

Funding Sources
P.I., NIH, "Intestinal Epithelial Tight Junction Structure-Function." R01-DK59888
P.I., NIH, "Intestinal Mucosal Wound Resealing." R01-DK055679
P.I., NIH, "Formyl Peptide Receptors as Mediators of Intestinal Mucosal Homeostasis". R01-DK089763
Core Director, NIH, "Emory Epithelial Pathobiology Research Development Center." R24-DK064399