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Fellowship Program

* (IM Allergy Fellowship Program Faculty Profile)

Blanca Camoretti-Mercado

Blanca Camoretti-Mercado, PhD, MBAIS

Assistant Professor, College of Medicine Internal Medicine

Contact Info

Education

  • Mast, Business Analytics, Information Systems, USF Muma College of Business, 2019
  • PhD, Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, 1980

Interdisciplinary and Emerging Signature Programs

  • Allergy, Immunology & Infectious Disease
  • Cellular and Molecular Biology

Research Interests

  • Our investigations have focused on the elucidation of the fundamental molecular determinants, cellular signaling events, and physiologic responses that underlie lung dysfunction. We have been interested in the role of the smooth muscle as a key effector of airway contraction and relaxation and as a source of mediators of inflammation. The translational nature of our research utilizing pre-clinical models of lung diseases attempt to develop new and efficacious therapeutic strategies, and translate them into potential medicines.

Awards/Honors

  • Board of Directors (American Thoracic Society - 2018)
  • Assembly Chair, Respiratory Structure and Function (American Thoracic Society - 2016)
  • Department of Medicine Diversity Award (The University of Chicago - 2012)
  • Top Abstract, Mechanism of Disease (Central Society for Clinical Research & Midwestern Association for Medical Research - 2008)
  • Highlighted Abstract (American Thoracic Society - 2008)
  • Annual Recognition Award (American Lung Association-Metropolitan Chicago - 2004)
  • Plaque in Recognition of Outstanding Contribution for the Advance of Science (Erasmus University, The Netherlands and the Bundelkhand University, India - 2004)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship (Argentina National Research Council - 1986)
  • Premio Facultad (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina - 1986)
  • Premio Estimulo a la Investigation Cientifica (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina - 1983)
  • Predoctoral Fellowship (Argentina National Research Council - 1981)
  • Summa cum Laude (University of Buenos Aires, Argentina - 1980)

Memberships

  • Member (American Thoracic Society, 1995 - Present)

Recent Publications

  • Camoretti-Mercado B and Lockey RF. Bitter taste receptors in the treatment of asthma: Opportunities and challenges. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunolog. , 2020.
  • Camoretti-Mercado B and Lockey RF. Reply to Non canonical beta-2 receptor signaling Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunolog. 144(6) : 1735-6, 2019.
  • Camoretti-Mercado B and Lockey R. The beta adrenergic theory of bronchial asthma: 50 years later Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunolog. 144(5) : 1161-2, 2019.
  • Prakash YS, Halayko AJ, Gosens R, Panettieri RA, Camoretti-Mercado B, Penn RB. An Official American Thoracic Society Research Statement: Current Challenges Facing Research and Therapeutic Advances in Airway Remodeling. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 195(2) : e4-e19, 2017.
  • Comer BS, Camoretti-Mercado B, Kogut PC, Halayko AJ, Solway J, Gerthoffer WT. Cyclooxygenase-2 and microRNA-155 expression are elevated in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 52(4) : 438-47, 2015.
  • Camoretti-Mercado B, Pauer SH, Yong HM, Smith DC, Deshpande DA, An SS, Liggett SB. Pleiotropic Effects of Bitter Taste Receptors on [Ca2+]i Mobilization, Hyperpolarization, and Relaxation of Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells. PloS One. 10(6) : e0131582, 2015.
  • Comer BS, Camoretti-Mercado B, Kogut PC, Halayko AJ, Solway J, Gerthoffer WT. MicroRNA-146a and microRNA-146b expression and anti-inflammatory function in human airway smooth muscle. American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 307(9) : L727-34, 2014.
  • Wang WC, Pauer SH, Smith DC, Dixon MA, Disimile DJ, Panebra A, An SS, Camoretti-Mercado B, Liggett SB. Targeted transgenesis identifies Gαs as the bottleneck in β2-adrenergic receptor cell signaling and physiological function in airway smooth muscle. American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology. 307(10) : L775-80, 2014.
  • Gerthoffer WT Solway J and Camoretti-Mercado . Emerging targets for novel therapy of asthma Current Opinion in Pharmacology. 13(3) : 324-30, 2013.
  • Schuliga M, Javeed A, Harris T, Xia Y, Qin C, Wang Z, Zhang X, Lee PV, Camoretti-Mercado B, Stewart AG. Transforming growth factor-β-induced differentiation of airway smooth muscle cells is inhibited by fibroblast growth factor-2. American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 48(3) : 346-53, 2013.
  • Chen B, Hsu R, Li Z, Kogut PC, Du Q, Rouser K, Camoretti-Mercado B, Solway J. Upstream stimulatory factor 1 activates GATA5 expression through an E-box motif. The Biochemical journal. 446(1) : 89-98, 2012.
  • McConville J Fernandes DJ Churchill J Dewundara S Kogut P Shah S Fuchs G Kedainis D Bellam SK Patel NM McCauley J Dulin NO Gupta MP Adam S Yoneda Y Camoretti-Mercado B and Solway J, . Nuclear import of Serum response Factor American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. 45(3) : 453-8, 2011.
  • Ma L, Brown M, Kogut P, Serban K, Li X, McConville J, Chen B, Bentley JK, Hershenson MB, Dulin N, Solway J, Camoretti-Mercado B. Akt activation induces hypertrophy without contractile phenotypic maturation in airway smooth muscle. American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and MolecularPphysiology. 300(5) : L701-9, 2011.
  • Hofmann Bowman MA, Heydemann A, Gawdzik J, Shilling RA, Camoretti-Mercado B. Transgenic expression of human S100A12 induces structural airway abnormalities and limited lung inflammation in a mouse model of allergic inflammation. Clinical and Experimental Allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 41(6) : 878-89, 2011.