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Liang Qiao — Dr. Liang Qiao's lab at Loyola University Chicago focuses on developing innovative vaccines to combat viral infections, particularly coronaviruses and flaviviruses like Zika and dengue. The research aims to create safer vaccines that generate strong T cell responses without the risk of severe side effects associated with traditional antibody-based vaccines. The lab employs advanced techniques to enhance vaccine efficacy and develop mucosal delivery methods for protective immune responses.
Derek Alan Wainwright — Dr. Derek Alan Wainwright's research lab at Loyola University Chicago focuses on understanding glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor that evades the body's immune response. His team investigates a protein called indoleamine 23 dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), which plays a crucial role in suppressing the immune system in glioblastoma cases. They aim to develop innovative therapies that can enhance the immune response against this challenging cancer.
Aleksey V Zima — Dr. Aleksey V Zima's lab at Loyola University Chicago focuses on understanding how oxidative stress affects the heart's calcium regulation, particularly through the dysfunction of a key protein called the ryanodine receptor. This research aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind cardiac issues, especially during conditions like myocardial infarction, which is critical for developing new therapies that can improve heart health. The lab uses advanced genetic models and pharmacological approaches to explore potential treatments for heart diseases.
Jonathan A Kirk — Dr. Jonathan A. Kirk's lab focuses on understanding the mechanics of heart diseases, particularly how misfolded proteins affect heart function. They aim to improve our knowledge of protein quality control in heart muscle cells, which could lead to new treatments for heart failure. The lab utilizes advanced techniques to visualize how these protein issues arise in healthy and diseased hearts.
Monsheel S Sodhi — Dr. Sodhi's lab at Loyola University Chicago focuses on understanding how prenatal stress affects brain development and leads to differences in cognitive function between males and females. They investigate the role of RNA editing in glutamate receptors, which are crucial for learning and memory, to see how these processes differ between sexes. The ultimate goal is to identify new ways to enhance cognitive function and resilience to stress, potentially leading to improved treatments for disorders like depression and schizophrenia.
Daniel Cavanaugh — Dr. Daniel Cavanaugh's lab focuses on understanding how our internal body clock controls behaviors and physiological processes. Using fruit flies as a model, his research investigates the communication pathways between different types of neurons that form the circadian system. This work aims to uncover how disruptions to our circadian rhythms can lead to health issues and how these mechanisms can be studied at the molecular level.
Seth L Robia — Dr. Seth Robia's research lab at Loyola University Chicago focuses on the regulation of calcium transport in heart cells. The lab studies how small proteins called micropeptides influence the function of calcium pumps in the heart, leading to better understanding of heart problems such as heart failure. Through various experimental techniques, they investigate the mechanisms by which proteins interact and how these interactions change in health and disease.
David Y Barefield — David Y. Barefield's lab focuses on understanding the function of the heart's atrial region, which plays a vital role in overall cardiac health. They are investigating how specific proteins that are unique to the atria impact heart function, particularly in conditions like cardiomyopathy. By modeling genetic mutations associated with heart disease in lab-grown cells, they aim to reveal mechanisms underlying atrial dysfunction and its contribution to broader heart problems.
Toni R. Pak — Dr. Toni R. Pak's lab at Loyola University Chicago explores the relationship between estrogen and microRNA expression in the context of Alzheimer's disease, particularly how these factors differ between sexes. The lab investigates how estrogen influences the regulation and stability of microRNAs in women's brains as they age, with the goal of uncovering mechanisms that could lead to better treatments for Alzheimer's disease.