My laboratory’s Mission is to find novel therapeutics to treat tissue damage and organ dysfunction caused by disproportionate inflammatory responses. I aim to achieve this challenging goal by identifying the most critical mechanisms of the pathophysiology that lead to chronic and excessive inflammation. My broad background in signal transduction mechanisms in the fields of cancer, inflammation and vascular biology is especially suited for ensuring the success of this goal. I approach this venture by generating a collaborative, multidisciplinary and translational research program. Collaborations with researchers with expertise in advanced imaging and chemistry give us new ways to study inflammation, while partnering with physicians at the Ophthalmology and Ob/Gyn departments, as well as the Biomedical Acceleration and Commercialization Center at AMC ensures a translational focus of our research.

Long-term success cannot be achieved without generating an effective research team. I place a high value on providing outstanding mentoring to trainees in all stages of learning, from undergraduate interns and MDDR summer students to PhD candidates and postdocs, to residents and fellows. I devote substantial mentoring efforts not only towards members of my lab, but also to other trainees, independently of whether I am a member of their thesis’s committee. Our lab also provides a nurturing environment for developing a new generation of physician scientists, including research in ophthalmic diseases and my substantial involvement in the MFM fellowship program.