1. What is your lab’s long-term/big-picture research goal?
My lab's long-term research goal is to understand the pathogenesis of respiratory and infectious diseases and to develop diagnostic tools and therapeutics for them.
2. What is your training/scientific background?
In college, I majored in chemistry and developed a strong interest in biology. I then decided to pursue my Ph.D. in Biochemistry. I was trained as a lung biologist during my postdoctoral years at the University of Pennsylvania. I joined Oklahoma State University in 2000, and since then, my research interests have gradually shifted from basic research to disease-oriented research, including non-infectious lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and infectious lung diseases such as influenza, COVID-19 and tuberculosis. Thanks to OCASCR support, adult stem cell research has now been included in our research programs.
3. What is the goal of your OCASCR project?
Our previous OCASCR project focused on adult stem cell therapy of lung diseases. The goal of our most recent OCASCR project is to develop human lung tissue models using induced pluripotent stem cells for COVID-19 drug screening and for studying long COVID-19. The models are also valuable for studying other lung diseases.
4. How might your research impact diseases related to obesity or smoking?
Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD and the risk factor for many lung diseases such as IPF and COVID-19. The human lung tissue models will help in the development of treatments for such diseases.
5. What’s your most critical piece of research equipment in your lab? Why?
Real-time PCR, as it is used for almost every experiment.
6. What’s your favorite scientific meeting to attend? Why?
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Annual Meeting is one of my favorite stem cell meetings that I attend essentially every year. This is a place where I can network with colleagues and hear about the advancements in the stem cell field.
7. What did we forget to ask?
In my opinion, the State of Oklahoma made a wise decision to establish TSET using tobacco settlement funds to improve Oklahoman’s health related to cigarette smoking via education and research. The funding through OCASCR attracts many Oklahoma researchers including myself into adult stem cell research, improves research infrastructure, and lands many federal grants in Oklahoma.
