Glucagon - Like Peptide-1 Pathway and Airway Inflammation 

Our research team is studying the effects of blood glucose-lowering medications on immune cells in individuals with and without asthma. We aim to determine if GLP-1 pathway agonists inhibit immune activation in patients with and without chronic respiratory diseases. By assessing GLP-1R polymorphisms and various clinical factors like age, sex, race, and metabolic comorbidities, we will explore how these elements influence the response to GLP-1 receptor agonists on immune cell function.

Register for GLP1

 

Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD)

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is the clinical triad of asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, and respiratory reactions to inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-1 (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.

Our ongoing projects in AERD include:

  • Investigating the therapeutic response to aspirin therapy and novel biologics
  • Establishing the mediators and the pathways responsible for sex differences in disease burden and clinical manifestations 
  • Understanding the role of prostaglandins in disease severity and treatment response

 

Asthma associated with obesity:

More than 40% of adults with asthma are also obese. Adults with asthma and obesity report increased asthma symptoms, asthma exacerbations, and less response to standard treatments. With the goal of identifying better treatments for adults with asthma, our current projects include:

  • Determining how metabolic dysfunction changes airway inflammation
  • Establishing the role for metabolic pathways in reducing airway inflammation associated with asthma
  • Determining how glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists decrease classic inflammatory pathways in asthma