Our laboratory is interested in various aspects of the inflammatory response. We are developing techniques based on multichannel fluorescence intravital microscopy to visualize the molecular and cellular phenomena that occur within the inflamed vasculature. We are also interested in understanding the mechanisms by which leukocyte production and release during inflammation modulates homeostatic processes.

Imaging inflammation: Leukocytes and platelets are recruited to inflamed vessels via adhesion receptors, chemokines and cytokines. During this process, leukocytes redistribute surface receptors to discrete domains, each of which can mediate interactions with circulating platelets and erythrocytes. These interactions can lead to an excessive activation of the leukocyte, which in turn releases toxic mediators that damage the surrounding endothelium. We want to understand the biology of these interactions, including how they lead to the formation of polarized leukocyte domains, the identity of the receptors that mediate them and their consequences in inflammatory processes. We are particularly interested in understanding the potential contribution of these interactions to vascular injury under atherogenic conditions.

Control of leukocyte production and release: We aim to dissect the links between inflammation and alterations in the bone marrow niches, the home of hematopoietic stem cells and their differentiated progeny. We are addressing this through the use of gene-targeted mouse models with alterations in the immune and hematopoietic systems. Our goal is to define the signals that these biological systems use to communicate with each other and to understand how this is regulated and altered during disease.