UC San Diego Asthma and Sinus Center Research
Research performed at the UC San Diego Asthma & Sinus Center aims to identify novel pathways and therapeutic targets in asthma and sinus disease. We utilize patient-oriented research (POR) and a multidisciplinary team of investigators from pulmonary, otolaryngology, and allergy to perform cutting edge translational research.
Investigative Efforts
The investigative efforts of the Center are supported by multiple laboratories belonging to its members:
Doherty Laboratory
Dr. Taylor A. Doherty is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Section Chief of Allergy and Immunology at UC San Diego. His studies have led to high impact publications in the fields of asthma, airway remodeling, aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), and group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) biology. His lab is located in the Biomedical Sciences Building on the UCSD Medical School Campus. He is a PI of an asthma center program project grant (U19) from NIAID as well as maintains other funding through NIH, industry, and institutional sources. He has also mentored numerous fellows and residents with resultant high impact publications in patient-oriented research.
Akuthota Laboratory
Dr. Akuthota's research efforts range from basic scientific investigations of human eosinophil biology and eosinophilic inflammation to clinical and translational efforts in asthma and eosinophilic pulmonary disease. He is the corresponding Principal Investigator for the UCSD Clinical Center in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's PrecISE Network that will be studying precision interventions in severe asthma. His lab is located in the Altman Clinical Translational Research Institute at UCSD (opened in 2016), which also houses the Clinical Research Center, the primary site for clinical trial activities.
Carol Yan, M.D.
Dr. Yan's research focuses on olfactory dysfunction as its related to sinonasal disease, viral infections, and aging. She is studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in post-infectious smell loss using animal models and human nasal tissue. Dr. Yan is also interested in studying the genetics of age-related smell loss with its widespread presence in our aging population and its association with neurodegenerative diseases. Her translational research is paired with her clinical research which investigates patient outcomes of olfactory dysfunction using validated smell testing in our Rhinology clinic. Dr. Yan is also conducting novel therapeutic clinical trials in patients with prolonged smell loss; she most welcomes any opportunity to collaborate with other researchers, clinicians, and students in any of these projects.
Broide Laboratory
Dr. David Broide is a Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego. He is the author of over 160 publications related to mechanisms of asthma results of which have been published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Journal of Immunology, and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. His basic and translational research program focusing on asthma has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for over 25 years. Dr. Broide is currently the recipient of an NIH MERIT award, and is principal investigator on several NIH RO1 grants, an NIH Asthma and Allergic Disease Center program project grant, and an NIH T32 training grant in molecular mechanisms of allergic inflammation.
Zuraw Laboratory
Dr. Zuraw is the Division Chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Medicine, UC San Diego. He is the Director of the Section of Allergy and Immunology at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System. Asthma studies focus on the role of the airway epithelial cell in inflammatory airway disease. The laboratory is studying the impact of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ) in down-regulating airway inflammation as well as the role of B2 and B1 bradykinin receptors as well as transient receptor potential channels in allergic airway inflammation.
Vijayanand Laboratory (La Jolla Institute for Immunology)
Pandurangan Vijayanand, M.D. Ph.D. is the William K. Bowes Distinguished Professor at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology. Dr. Vijayanand's lab employs genomics tools to understand, diagnose and treat pulmonary disease such as asthma, lung cancer and infectious disease. His laboratory has developed a number of techniques to study the molecular profiles of circulating and airway immune cells from patients with asthma and other diseases, using fewer cells than was possible previously.
Airways Clinical Trials Center
In addition to individual investigator laboratories and the CTSA-funded Altman Clinical Translational Research Institute, the Pulmonary division has an active clinical trials unit at the Hillcrest campus near downtown San Diego. This area is actively utilized for clinical research in airways disease and allows investigators increased opportunities for recruitment.
Explore Publications
Recent Publications
Nelson RK, Bush A, Stokes J, Nair P, Akuthota P. Eosinophilic Asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2019; Nov 28 [Online ahead of print]. PMID: 31786254
Cavagnero KJ, Badrani JH, Naji LH, Amadeo MB, Shah VS, Gasparian S, Pham A, Wang AW, Seumois G, Croft M, Broide DH, Doherty TA. Unconventional ST2- and CD127-negative lung ILC2 populations are induced by the fungal allergen Alternaria alternata. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019 Jul 29;. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.07.018. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31369800.
Nelson RK, Brickner H, Panwar B, Ramírez-Suástegui C, Herrera-de la Mata S, Liu N, Diaz D, Alexander LEC, Ay F, Vijayanand P, Seumois G, Akuthota P. Human Eosinophils Express a Distinct Gene Expression Program in Response to IL-3 Compared with Common ß-Chain Cytokines IL-5 and GM-CSF. J Immunol. 2019 Jul 15; 203(2):329-337. PMID: 31175163.
Siddiqui S, Denlinger LC, Fowler SJ, Akuthota P, Shaw DE, Heaney LG, Brown L, Castro M, Winders TA, Kraft M, Wagers S, Peters MC, Pavord ID, Walker S, Jarjour NN. Unmet Needs in Severe Asthma Subtyping and Precision Medicine Trials. Bridging Clinical and Patient Perspectives. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019 Apr 01; 199(7):823-829. PMID: 30726120.
Karta MR, Cavagnero K, Miller M, Badrani J, Naji L, Doherty TA, Broide DH. Platelets attach to lung type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) expressing P-selectin glycoprotein ligand 1 and influence ILC2 function. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019 Jun 12;. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2019.06.001. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31201889.
Steinfeld J, Bradford ES, Brown J, Mallett S, Yancey SW, Akuthota P, Cid MC, Gleich GJ, Jayne D, Khoury P, Langford CA, Merkel PA, Moosig F, Specks U, Weller PF, Wechsler ME. Evaluation of clinical benefit from treatment with mepolizumab for patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2019 Jun; 143(6):2170-2177. PMID: 30578883.
Doherty TA, Broide DH. Airway innate lymphoid cells in the induction and regulation of allergy. Allergol Int. 2019 Jan;68(1):9-16. doi: 10.1016/j.alit.2018.11.001. Epub 2018 Nov 23. Review. PubMed PMID: 30473412; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6614863.
Doherty TA, Broide DH. Lipid regulation of group 2 innate lymphoid cell function: Moving beyond epithelial cytokines. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018 May;141(5):1587-1589. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2018.02.034. Epub 2018 Mar 6. PubMed PMID: 29522852; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5967253.
White AA, Doherty TA. Role of group 2 innate lymphocytes in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease pathogenesis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2018 Jan 1;32(1):7-11. doi: 10.2500/ajra.2018.32.4498. Review. PubMed PMID: 29336282; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5780331.
Khoury P, Akuthota P, Ackerman SJ, Arron JR, Bochner BS, Collins MH, Kahn JE, Fulkerson PC, Gleich GJ, Gopal-Srivastava R, Jacobsen EA, Leiferman KM, Francesca LS, Mathur SK, Minnicozzi M, Prussin C, Rothenberg ME, Roufosse F, Sable K, Simon D, Simon HU, Spencer LA, Steinfeld J, Wardlaw AJ, Wechsler ME, Weller PF, Klion AD. Revisiting the NIH Taskforce on the Research needs of Eosinophil-Associated Diseases (RE-TREAD). J Leukoc Biol. 2018 07; 104(1):69-83. PMID: 29672914.
Karta MR, Rosenthal PS, Beppu A, Vuong CY, Miller M, Das S, Kurten RC, Doherty TA, Broide DH. β2 integrins rather than β1 integrins mediate Alternaria-induced group 2 innate lymphoid cell trafficking to the lung. J Allergy Clin Immunol.2018 Jan;141(1):329-338.e12. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.03.010. Epub 2017 Mar 30. PubMed PMID: 28366795; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5623168.
Cavagnero K, Doherty TA. Cytokine and Lipid Mediator Regulation of Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILC2s) in Human Allergic Airway Disease. J Cytokine Biol. 2017 Aug;2(2). Epub 2017 Aug 4. PubMed PMID: 28959799; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5614509.
Lund SJ, Portillo A, Cavagnero K, Baum RE, Naji LH, Badrani JH, Mehta A, Croft M, Broide DH, Doherty TA. Leukotriene C4 Potentiates IL-33-Induced Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cell Activation and Lung Inflammation. J Immunol. 2017 Aug 1;199(3):1096-1104. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601569. Epub 2017 Jun 30. PubMed PMID: 28667163; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5531601.
Wechsler ME, Akuthota P, Jayne D, Khoury P, Klion A, Langford CA, Merkel PA, Moosig F, Specks U, Cid MC, Luqmani R, Brown J, Mallett S, Philipson R, Yancey SW, Steinfeld J, Weller PF, Gleich GJ. Mepolizumab or Placebo for Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis. N Engl J Med. 2017 05 18; 376(20):1921-1932. PMID: 28514601.
Eastman JJ, Cavagnero KJ, Deconde AS, Kim AS, Karta MR, Broide DH, Zuraw BL, White AA, Christiansen SC, Doherty TA.Group 2 innate lymphoid cells are recruited to the nasal mucosa in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017 Jul;140(1):101-108.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.11.023. Epub 2017 Mar 6. PubMed PMID: 28279492; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5496786.
Doherty TA, Broide DH. Pathways to limit group 2 innate lymphoid cell activation. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017 May;139(5):1465-1467. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.12.003. Epub 2017 Jan 10. PubMed PMID: 28087226; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5605226.
Kim AS, Doherty TA, Karta MR, Das S, Baum R, Rosenthal P, Beppu A, Miller M, Kurten R, Broide DH. Regulatory B cells and T follicular helper cells are reduced in allergic rhinitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2016 Oct;138(4):1192-1195.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.03.017. Epub 2016 Apr 6. PubMed PMID: 27142393; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5053844.
Karta MR, Broide DH, Doherty TA. Insights into Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Human Airway Disease. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2016 Jan;16(1):8. doi: 10.1007/s11882-015-0581-6. Review. PubMed PMID: 26746844; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5026503.
Kim AS, Doherty TA. New and emerging therapies for asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016 Jan;116(1):14-7. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2015.08.001. Review. PubMed PMID: 26707770; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4693149.
Doherty TA. At the bench: understanding group 2 innate lymphoid cells in disease. J Leukoc Biol. 2015 Mar;97(3):455-67. doi: 10.1189/jlb.5BT0814-374R. Epub 2014 Dec 3. Review. PubMed PMID: 25473099; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4338843.
Doherty TA, Broide DH. Group 2 innate lymphoid cells: new players in human allergic diseases. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2015;25(1):1-11; quiz 2p following 11. Review. PubMed PMID: 25898689; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4545833.
Walford HH, Lund SJ, Baum RE, White AA, Bergeron CM, Husseman J, Bethel KJ, Scott DR, Khorram N, Miller M, Broide DH, Doherty TA. Increased ILC2s in the eosinophilic nasal polyp endotype are associated with corticosteroid responsiveness. Clin Immunol. 2014 Nov;155(1):126-35. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2014.09.007. Epub 2014 Sep 16. PubMed PMID: 25236785; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4254351.
Walford HH, Doherty TA. Diagnosis and management of eosinophilic asthma: a US perspective. J Asthma Allergy.2014;7:53-65. doi: 10.2147/JAA.S39119. eCollection 2014. Review. PubMed PMID: 24748808; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3990389.
Doherty TA, Scott D, Walford HH, Khorram N, Lund S, Baum R, Chang J, Rosenthal P, Beppu A, Miller M, Broide DH.Allergen challenge in allergic rhinitis rapidly induces increased peripheral blood type 2 innate lymphoid cells that express CD84. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Apr;133(4):1203-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.12.1086. Epub 2014 Feb 28. PubMed PMID: 24582313; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3972276.
Chang JE, Doherty TA, Baum R, Broide D. Prostaglandin D2 regulates human type 2 innate lymphoid cell chemotaxis. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2014 Mar;133(3):899-901.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.09.020. Epub 2013 Nov 5. PubMed PMID: 24210841; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3943597.
Kim HK, Lund S, Baum R, Rosenthal P, Khorram N, Doherty TA. Innate type 2 response to Alternaria extract enhances ryegrass-induced lung inflammation. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2014;163(2):92-105. doi: 10.1159/000356341. Epub 2013 Nov 30. PubMed PMID: 24296722; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3946274.
Kim HK, Baum R, Lund S, Khorram N, Yang SL, Chung KR, Doherty TA. Impaired induction of allergic lung inflammation by Alternaria alternata mutant MAPK homologue Fus3. Exp Lung Res. 2013 Nov;39(9):399-409. doi: 10.3109/01902148.2013.835009. Epub 2013 Oct 8. PubMed PMID: 24102366; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4079010.
Lund S, Walford HH, Doherty TA. Type 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells in Allergic Disease. Curr Immunol Rev. 2013 Nov;9(4):214-221. doi: 10.2174/1573395510666140304235916. PubMed PMID: 24876829; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4033554.
Walford HH, Doherty TA. STAT6 and lung inflammation. JAKSTAT. 2013 Oct 1;2(4):e25301. doi: 10.4161/jkst.25301. Epub 2013 Jun 10. Review. PubMed PMID: 24416647; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3876430.
Doherty TA, Khorram N, Lund S, Mehta AK, Croft M, Broide DH. Lung type 2 innate lymphoid cells express cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1, which regulates TH2 cytokine production. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2013 Jul;132(1):205-13. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2013.03.048. Epub 2013 May 17. PubMed PMID: 23688412; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3704056.
Soroosh P, Doherty TA, Duan W, Mehta AK, Choi H, Adams YF, Mikulski Z, Khorram N, Rosenthal P, Broide DH, Croft M.Lung-resident tissue macrophages generate Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and promote airway tolerance. J Exp Med. 2013 Apr 8;210(4):775-88. doi: 10.1084/jem.20121849. Epub 2013 Apr 1. PubMed PMID: 23547101; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3620360.
Doherty TA, Khorram N, Chang JE, Kim HK, Rosenthal P, Croft M, Broide DH. STAT6 regulates natural helper cell proliferation during lung inflammation initiated by Alternaria. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2012 Oct 1;303(7):L577-88. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00174.2012. Epub 2012 Aug 3. PubMed PMID: 22865552; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3469584.
Doherty TA, Khorram N, Sugimoto K, Sheppard D, Rosenthal P, Cho JY, Pham A, Miller M, Croft M, Broide DH. Alternaria induces STAT6-dependent acute airway eosinophilia and epithelial FIZZ1 expression that promotes airway fibrosis and epithelial thickness. J Immunol. 2012 Mar 15;188(6):2622-9. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1101632. Epub 2012 Feb 10. PubMed PMID: 22327070; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3294141.
Doherty TA, Croft M. Therapeutic potential of targeting TNF/TNFR family members in asthma. Immunotherapy. 2011 Aug;3(8):919-21. doi: 10.2217/imt.11.88. PubMed PMID: 21843077.
Doherty TA, Soroosh P, Khorram N, Fukuyama S, Rosenthal P, Cho JY, Norris PS, Choi H, Scheu S, Pfeffer K, Zuraw BL, Ware CF, Broide DH, Croft M. The tumor necrosis factor family member LIGHT is a target for asthmatic airway remodeling. Nat Med. 2011 May;17(5):596-603. doi: 10.1038/nm.2356. Epub 2011 Apr 17. PubMed PMID: 21499267; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3097134.
Doherty TA, Soroosh P, Broide DH, Croft M. CD4+ cells are required for chronic eosinophilic lung inflammation but not airway remodeling. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2009 Feb;296(2):L229-35. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.90543.2008. Epub 2008 Dec 5. PubMed PMID: 19060225; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2643996.