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Featured Faculty

Stephen B. Liggett E-7453-2012

Stephen B. Liggett, MD

Assoc Vice President, College of Medicine Office of Research
  • Dr. Stephen B. Liggett's laboratory has several major interrelated initiatives:
  • The study of the molecular basis of G-protein coupled receptor structure and function
  • Delineation and characterization of human genetic variants within this receptor signaling network
  • Association studies of genetic variants with heart and lung disease and their response to treatment to develop a platform for genetically-based personalized medicine
  • Creation of genetically modified mice to define the mechanisms of heart and lung disease and "humanized mice" to explore the effects of genetic variation of human genes
  • Determination of the full genome sequences of human Rhinoviruses using high throughput next-generation sequencing technologies; analysis of the relationships between viral genomes and asthma phenotypes
  • Genomic-based drug discovery, most recently identifying bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle and showing that they act to bronchodilate, thus being a potential new therapy for asthma and COPD
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Joshua Scallan

Joshua Scallan, PhD

Assistant Professor, College of Medicine Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology
  • My laboratory performs research in the area of lymphatic vascular biology to gain insight into how loss of lymphatic vessel function leads to disease. Specifically, we use a unique combination of genetic and physiologic approaches to quantify lymphatic vascular permeability, which allows us to assess fluid and solute transport across the lymphatic vessel wall. Diseases associated with leaky lymphatic vessels include obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, lymphedema, and infection. Our research is multidisciplinary as we routinely collaborate with investigators from physiology, immunology, and developmental biology areas. Some current areas of interest are:
  • 1)The physical pathways and molecular regulators that restrict solute and fluid loss across the lymphatic vessel wall, preventing edema.
  • 2)The role of lymphatic vascular permeability in immune cell trafficking to the lymph node.
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Congratulations to Mr. John Lockhart!

We would like to congratulate Mr. John Lockhart, who has been awarded with the 2019 Keystone Symposia Scholarship and has also been invited to give a short talk about his submitted abstract entitled, “Effective Delivery of Therapeutic mRNA using Peptide-Based Nanoparticles.” This work was done in collaboration with the laboratories of Dr. Hua Pan and Dr. Samuel Wickline using a novel-based peptide nanoparticle system for oligonucleotide delivery. Mr. Lockhart is a Ph.D. candidate being mentored, by Dr. Hana Totary-Jain, who is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology. The Keystone Symposia will take place on April 7 – 10, 2019 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We are very proud of Mr. Lockhart’s accomplishments - Congratulations!
Dr. Bibhu Mohanty - Tips on Heart Health
Surface TAS2R14-WT expression with DPD treatment in HEK293T cells

Articles

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy in African Americans
Plot of the odds of developing idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (a form of heart failure) from various genetic variations on chromosome 2. A variation in a calcium channel subunit (CACNB4) showed the greatest risk for developing the disease. The population is African-American, and the results are from a recent study published from the Heart Institute.

Modulation of LIN28B/Let-7 Signaling by Propranolol Contributes to Infantile Hemangioma Involution
Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are the most common benign vascular neoplasms of infancy, characterized by a rapid growth phase followed by a spontaneous involution, or triggered by propranolol treatment by poorly understood mechanisms. LIN28/let-7 axis plays a central role in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and tumorigenesis. However, the role of LIN28B/let-7 signaling in IH pathogenesis has not yet been elucidated.

USF Health Institute News

New study identifies inflammatory molecules controlling capillary loss common in many diseases
1/28/2020
Using an innovative cellular model, the USF Health-led study also discovers drug combinations to prevent degeneration of these tiniest blood vessels Many diseases arise from abnormalities in our capillaries, tiny exquisitely branching blood vessel networks that play a critical role in tissue health. … [read more]
USF Health-TGH first in Florida using new organ transplant technology designed to save more lives
1/24/2020
Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. John Dunning and team performed the transplantation of  donor lung kept “breathing” in human-like conditions For all the advances in organ transplantation, most organs are still transferred from donor to recipient in a cooler packed with ice. The clock begins ticking as so … [read more]
Studying interplay between gut microbiome and cancer treatments to reduce cardiac complications
1/22/2020
The treatment of cancer may soon get a shot in the arm as researchers come closer to understanding the link between the disease and the diversity of microbes, fungi and viruses in a person’s gut. Recently, oncologists found that the variety and composition of what lives in the gastrointestinal tract … [read more]
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