Washington University in St. Louis (WU)
I work on genetic determinants of emphysema. I focus on the role of extracellular matrix molecules in predisposing to, or protecting from, emphysema. I use knockout and transgenic mouse models to investigate the mechanisms responsible for changes in emphysema susceptibility following cigarette-smoke exposure. I am also translating these findings to human disease by screening populations of emphysema patients for extracellular matrix molecule gene mutations that associate with clinical markers of disease.