Holtzman Lab is Published in JI Again!

Finally: an understanding of how viruses trigger progressive lung disease in the covid era. https://www.jimmunol.org/content/early/2021/01/28/jimmunol.2000965

Holtzman Lab is Hiring a Postdoc!

The Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis, MO is recruiting post-doctoral research associates/scholars to participate in NIH funded programs. The laboratory of Dr. Michael Holtzman focuses on drug development for post-viral lung disease, including influenza and coronavirus infections, covering the spectrum from progressive respiratory failure to chronic conditions such as asthma. The project also extends this issue into cancer models that overlap in epithelial stem cell biology. The project covers the entire range of drug discovery and development, but current goals are focused on pharmacology and toxicology to enable the next step to clinical application. Activities include studies in mice and rats in vivo to assess mechanism, pharmacokinetics, and toxicokinetics as well as working in collaboration with lab members performing medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, structural and cell biology to define drug-target interactions and signaling mechanism of action. In addition, there will be collaboration with CRO- and biotech-based activities. 

Successful candidates will have a strong background in bench-level cell and molecular assays for RNA and/or protein, conventional and fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, pharmacology and toxicology using vitro and in vivo approaches, and mouse models of viral infection and/or cancer.

Prior experience with mouse models is helpful.  These full-time and benefit-eligible positions offer opportunities for independent and collaborative research, as well as participation in grant and manuscript writing. 

 For consideration as a postdoctoral trainee on the Division’s long running NIH/NHLBI T32 training grant, candidates must have a MD, PhD, or comparable degree, US citizenship or permanent residency, and less than 3 years of NRSA support. A CV and research interest summary should be sent to Dr. Michael Holtzman at mjholtzman@wustl.edu

 Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

Holtzman Lab is Published in JI!

The left photo is PAS-hematoxylin staining of a section of normal lung, and the right is from a section of lung after the development of progressive lung disease long after respiratory viral infection (starting as soon as 5 days and here peaking at 7 weeks after initial infection).

In these photos, we are also using image analysis to red colorize the mucus/PAS+ material to allow for improved visualization and quantitation.

In addition, you can see the increased cellularity/hematoxylin/blue staining as a sign of inflammation and stem cell proliferation.

End result is excessive airway inflammation and mucus production and so morbidity and mortality.

Check out the published article here.

Photo Credit: Kangyun Wu

Congrats! Michael J. Holtzman, MD receives $7.5 in grants!

Check out the article on Dr. Holtzman in the Business Journal here: https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2019/09/10/wash-u-doctor-receives-7-5m-in-grants-for.html

Michael J. Holtzman, MD receives an Outstanding Investigator Award from NHLBI

Michael J. Holtzman, MD received an Outstanding Investigator Award entitled “Defining and Controlling Airway Disease” from the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.  This Project aims at reprogramming epithelial stem cells in the lung to understand and prevent respiratory airway diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  The award will provide $6,608,000 over 7 years for Dr. Holtzman’s research activities.