In the McCarty lab, we focus on the molecular physiology of ion channels and receptors, with emphasis on epithelial chloride channels. Our specific focus is the pathophysiology of Cystic Fibrosis, including the structure/function of CFTR and its many roles in the airway. We pioneered the use of peptide toxins as probes of chloride channels. We also have projects that study the functional consequences of heterodimerization among GPCRs, the role of CFTR in regulation of sweat composition, and the molecular ecology of predator-prey interactions in the marine environment. Our translational research in CF targets: (a) the mechanism by which the expression of mutant CFTR in airway epithelial cells impacts the development of CF-related diabetes; and (b) identification of biomarkers of acute pulmonary exacerbations in CF along with development of a novel device for their detection in the home. 

The goal of the Center for Cystic Fibrosis Research is to engage Atlanta researchers in basic and translational research that will lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this disease and/or generate new devices and treatments to increase the length and quality of life for CF patients. The novel theme for these research activities is 'The Systems Biology of the CF Lung'.

Chunhui Xu, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine and a member of the Cell and Molecular Biology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute. 

Research in Dr. Xu's laboratory is focused on human cardiomyocytes derived from human pluripotent stem cells, which hold promise for cardiac cell therapy, disease modeling, drug discovery, and the study of developmental biology. They are also collaborating with investigators at Georgia Tech, Emory University, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, to explore the application of nanotechnology and tissue engineering in stem cell research.

The goal of Christopher Porter's lab is to develop novel therapeutic strategies for leukemia through better understanding of molecular mechanisms of leukemogenesis and treatment resistance. We employ a wide variety of techniques, in vitro and in vivo, for discovery and validation of molecular vulnerabilities in cancer cells. For example, using a genome-scale shRNA screen, we identified WEE1 as a chemosensitizing target in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Subsequent studies funded by the NCI have validated this finding and supported the development of a clinical trials a WEE1 inhibitor in subjects with AML. More recently, we have discovered a novel function for the transcription factor ETV6 in regulating normal hematopoiesis and are testing whether and how Etv6 mutation promotes leukemogenesis using a new mouse model with a point mutation in Etv6. Another project in the lab is directed at understanding mechanisms of immune evasion during leukemogenesis, as well as enhancing immune cells’ response to leukemia cells.

Peter Thule's research interests lie in the development of insulin gene therapy as a treatment for diabetes mellitus and investigations into hepatocellular effects of ectopic insulin production. His group's animal model utilizes a metabolically regulated, hepatic specific gene promoter to drive expression of an insulin transgene in the livers of diabetic rats. Administration of viral vectors containing these promoters coupled to a human insulin cDNA, normalizes blood sugars in diabetic rodents.

The Pacifici laboratory has pioneered the field of osteoimmunology and osteomicrobiology. The current main focus of the laboratory is the role of the microbiome in bone in health and disease. We are also interested in the mechanism of action of probiotics in bone. The laboratory is specialized in conducting in vivo studies in mice treated with PTH or subjected to ovariectomy. We use genetic models, retroviral transduction, bone marrow transplantation, T cell transfer and in vivo treatments with hormones, cytokines, antibodies and probiotics. Typical end points include sophisticated flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow cells and microCT and histomorphometric analysis of bone structure. The lab is equipped with in vivo and in vitro microCT scanners.

We have been the first to recognize that T cells play a pivotal role in the mechanism of action of estrogen and PTH in bone by regulating osteoclast and osteoblast development and function. More recently we have shown that the gut microbiome plays a role in mediating the skeletal response to estrogen deficiency and PTH. We have shown that mice lacking T cells are protected against the bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and hyperparathyroidism. We have has also shown that T cells regulate the number and function of mesenchymal stem cells. We have investigated the mechanism by which T cells mediate the expansion of hemopoietic stem cells caused by estrogen deficiency and PTH. Another main focus is to understand why intermittent PTH treatment causes bone anabolism while continuous PTH treatment causes bone loss. We hypothesize that the response to PTH depends on the effects of this hormone on T cell production of Wnt10b and TNF. We are currently investigating the mechanism of action of probiotics in bone, and conducting a clinical trial to determine the efficacy of the probiotic VSL#3 in preventing postmenopausal bone loss.

The Pacifici laboratory is currently supported by 3 RO-1 grants, 1 DOD grant and a T32 grant.

The Yoon Lab has been working on stem cell research in various cardiovascular diseases. Our major research interest is to use stem cell technology to treat various cardiovascular diseases, and we have been developing and using different bone marrow-derived stem sell or progenitor cells for cardiovascular repair.

Dr. W. Robert “Bob” Taylor holds joint appointments in the Department of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. He is a professor of Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, the Marcus Chair in Vascular Medicine, executive vice chair of the Department of Medicine, and the director of the Division of Cardiology. 

He serves as principal investigator for a five-year, $51 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The Emory-led Georgia CTSA, which includes partners from Georgia Tech, Morehouse, and the University of Georgia, focuses on transforming the quality and value of clinical research and translating research results into better outcomes for patients.

Dr. Taylor received his M.D., cum laude, from Harvard Medical School and his Ph.D. in Physiology from The Johns Hopkins University. After completing his Internal Medicine Training at Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Hospital in 1988, he came to the Emory University School of Medicine for subspecialty training in Cardiovascular Disease. 

Dr. Taylor's research interests are focused in the area of vascular biology with an emphasis on vascular biomechanics, inflammation, and regenerative medicine. He is also the Emory PI for the NIH-funded Georgia CTSA. Studies carried out by his group include both laboratory-based studies and translational work in humans.

Dr. Levit came to Emory in 2007 after graduating from the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine. She spent 7 years doing research and clinical training in cardiovascular disease. In 2014 she joined the faculty in the Division of Cardiology and is continuing her work on clinically translatable stem cell therapies for cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Brewster's clinical practice is focused on general vascular surgery and peripheral arterial disease, and his affiliations include Emory University Hospital and serving as section chief of vascular surgery at the Atlanta VA Healthcare System.

As a surgeon-scientist, his joint affiliations with the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute and the Wallace Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech/Emory have given him access to an exceptional pool of collaborators, and he has received a steady stream of various federal, foundation, and industry grants.

Dr. Brewster's laboratory focuses on investigations of the biomechanical mechanisms that contribute to pathologic vessel remodeling in peripheral vascular disease, develops regenerative strategies for use in ischemic tissue, and works to improve the function of patients who succumb to major amputation.

I am a rehabilitation neuroscientist keenly interested in the brain's capacity for change in response to rehabilitation after injury or in the context of disease. My work incorporates multimodal neuroimaging and neurostimulation approaches to investigate brain structure and function. The overarching aim of this work is to uncover the key neural substrates supporting motor control and motor learning to enable the design of optimal rehabilitation strategies to maximize recovery of function following neurologic injury.