The Li Gao Lab researches functional genomics, molecular genetics and epigenetics of complex cardiopulmonary and allergic diseases, with a focus on translational research applying fundamental genetic insight into the clinical setting. Current research includes implementation of high-throughput technologies in the fields of genome-wide association studies (GWAS), massively parallel sequencing, gene expression analysis, epigenetic mapping and integrative genomics in ongoing research of complex lung diseases and allergic diseases including asthma, atopic dermatitis (AD), pulmonary arterial hypertension, COPD, sepsis and acute lung injury/ARDS; and epigenetic contributions to pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis.

Research in the Jeffrey Dodd-o Lab aims to better understand the contributing factors of lung ischemia/reperfusion injuries and the role these injuries play in the lung dysfunction of patients soon after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. We have created an ischemia/reperfusion model in a spontaneously breathing mouse that they use with an in situ mouse lung preparation to identify cardiopulmonary interactions that impact reperfusion-related lung injury. We are working to characterize the influence of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on lung microvascular permeability.