Reed
| Karen Reed, Ph.D. | ||
| Department: | General Surgery; Section of Surgical Research |
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| Title/Appointment: | Research Assistant Professor of Surgery | |
| Postgraduate Education: |
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL | Office: 700 Albany St., W-402 |
| Postgraduate Training: |
University of New Hampshire, Durham | Phone: (617) 638-5074 Fax: (617) 638-8662 |
| E-Mail: klreed@bu.edu |
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| Research Interests: |
The two most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease, are chronic, recurring inflammatory disorders of the intestinal tract. The etiology of IBD remains poorly understood, despite the known involvement of several key pathophysiologic mechanisms. Recent evidence suggests that the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) may play a central role in initiating the episodes of chronic inflammation associated with IBD. Our research goal is to characterize the involvement of NFkB, as well as its upstream activators and downstream mediators, in intestinal inflammation. In particular, we are investigating the roles of proinflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules, markers of oxidative stress and proinflammatory neuropeptides in IBD. To this end, we have developed in vivo and in vitro models to study the mechanisms that underlie the pathogenesis of IBD. This research will further our understanding of IBD and will ultimately initiate the study of potential new IBD therapies. | |
