RESEARCH INTERESTS AND PROJECTS
My research focus is on toxicology and pulmonary cell biology. I study cellular responses in the lung, in particular the conducting airways. Airways are a key site for many human lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer. Exposure to toxic air pollutants contributes to development of these diseases in humans and animals. We utilize unique in vivo and in vitro models to study conducting airway epithelial injury and repair in diverse species from mice to monkeys. My laboratories are located at the Center for Health and the Environment. Projects available for students during 2007- 2008 include studies of:
1) The effect of inhaled particle composition on airway toxicology and histopathology in rats
2) The effect of environmental tobacco smoke on airways from mice and rhesus monkeys maintained in vitro and subjected to various interventions including glutathione supplementation and shRNA suppression of antioxidant genes
3) Proteomic approaches to define the role of protein sulfhydryls in protection of the lung from inhaled components of diesel exhaust (naphthalene and particles)
4) The distribution of receptors for serotonin in the airway epithelium during development in the airways of the monkey
5) Scanning electron microscopy of ciliary development and particle clearance in the airways
6) Mice with the genes for microsomal epoxide hydrolase, glutathione S-transferase pi or peroxiredoxin 6 knocked out
Students are invited to participate in any of these ongoing projects. Students may also conduct an original project of special interest to be completed during the summer session. Ongoing research is supported by funding from several grants from NIH, USEPA and the State of California.For more information please contact Dr. Van Winkle by email: lsvanwinkle@ucdavis.edu