William A. Altemeier, M.D.

Our laboratory focuses on the pathobiology of acute lung injury and asthma and the role of endogenous activators of innate immunity.  We use small animal models of human diseases to integrate cellular and molecular biology mechanistic studies with measurement of clinically relevant physiological parameters.  Additionally, our laboratory has expertise in isolation, culture, and analysis of a variety of primary lung cells, including airway epithelial cells, alveolar epithelial cells, macrophages, stromal cells and endothelial cells.

Our current funded projects include:

1. Evaluating the role of pericytes as lung interstitial immune sentinel cells,
2. Developing lung organotypic culture systems for evaluating mechanisms of biotoxicity for various engineered nanomaterials, and
3. Evaluating the role of secreted phospholipase A2, group X in asthma (in collaboration with Dr. Teal Hallstrand).