Nicola

M.

Heller

,

PhD

The focus of Dr. Heller’s laboratory is the role of macrophages in promoting and resolving disease, particularly in lung diseases, such as asthma and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Improper regulation of macrophage polarization can promote pathogenesis, exemplified by the abundance of M2 or “alternatively activated” macrophages during allergic inflammation of the lung. Dr. Heller is interested in how IL-4 or IL-13 (and other stimuli) induce differentiation of resting macrophages into the M2 phenotype. Her research program focuses on the basic molecular mechanisms of signaling from the biology of the IL-4/IL-13 receptor, signal transduction, and its regulation. Current research projects include determining how sex and sex hormones affect macrophage polarization in asthma. New projects are investigating novel interventions (peptide inhibitors) to block macrophage differentiation in asthma and utilizing nanoparticle-treated monocytes as cellular immunotherapy for ARDS. Her research program utilizes a variety of techniques, including molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, mouse models, cultured cell lines, and human patient samples to uncover cellular and molecular pathways of monocyte-macrophage activation that will be relevant targets for human clinical benefit.