We enjoy research and teaching in the highly diverse setting within the Department of Medicine at Boston University Avedisian & Chobanian School of Medicine and are proud to train and practice at Boston Medical Center caring for a diverse patient population. Our goal is for our trainees, staff, faculty, and Center to reflect that diversity. We believe that this is central to providing excellent patient care, making impactful research discoveries, and creating a dynamic and inclusive learning environment.
Based on studies visualizing aerosol deposition in functioning lungs with the crystal ribcage, Drs. Nia and Mizgerd hypothesize that lungs contain two functionally distinct types of alveoli, organized into a mosaic architecture, which differentially mediate early responses to inhaled particles. They plan to define the anatomy and physiology of alveolar mosaicism by mapping the spatial […]
Congratulations to Andrew Berical who has been awarded a K08 Career Development Award from the NIH titled "Define the mechanisms through which STK33 regulates multiciliated cells" to study how multiciliated cells develop. Using cell-based platforms that he has created, he will define the functional and molecular roles of previously understudied genes within multiciliated cells. This […]
Boston University’s longest-running NIH-funded research training program, "Biology of the Lung: A Multi-Disciplinary Program," has received a five-year $4.6 million T32 renewal from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The award extends continuous NIH support for the program for years 51-55 and will continue multidisciplinary training in lung biology across three core areas: development […]
Utilizing the Crystal Ribcage platform, the Nia Lab was able to visualize the transport dynamics of inhaled aerosols at the single-particle level across alveoli of the lung. This revealed a previously unrecognized aspect of lung biology: alveoli are not all functionally equivalent. Some alveoli receive inhaled particles much more effectively than others, creating a striking […]
Congratulations to Darrell Kotton for his new R01! He will work on "Thyroid Follicular Cell Signaling and Development in Humans" alongside Tony Hollenberg. This grant proposes to derive functional human thyroid epithelial cells from iPS cells for understanding the developmental biology of the thyroid gland and for regenerative transplantation.
Congratulations to Professor Markus Bosmann for receiving an exciting new R01 award for "Deciphering the Role of Bacterial Polyphosphates in Intestinal Immune Networks"! Mucosal barrier surfaces such as the lung and gastrointestinal tract are essential for protecting the body against infections while maintaining balanced interactions between microbes and the immune system. These tissues are also […]
Congratulations to Drs. Chris Reardon and Matt Jones for being recognized for their remarkable work in medicine and education by the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine! These annual awards are from the Office of the Dean and designed to recognize exceptional accomplishments from those in our medical school. Leonard Tow Humanism in […]
Many host-directed therapies are available for severe pneumonia, including anti-inflammatories, immunostimulants, fibrinolytics, and more. Multiple clinical studies show that these therapies are effective in subsets of patients. Incomplete understanding of the varying types of lung biology that cause severe pneumonia prevents the rational and effective provision of host-directed therapies to appropriate patients. A team from […]