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| Faculty |
Elizabeth
J. Kovacs, Ph.D. |
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Director
of Research, Burn and Shock Trauma Institute
Vice Chair of Research, Department of Surgery
Professor, Departments of Surgery and Cell Biology,
Neurobiology and Anatomy
Director, Alcohol
Research Program
Member, Immunology and Aging Program
Professor, Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Program
Ph.D. University of Vermont
Post-Doctoral Fellowship, National Institutes of Health
Interest:
Cytokine control of immune responses after injury
Previous
work has focused on the effects of injury on young males,
and mechanisms and therapeutic interventions were tested exclusively
in that population. Research in the Kovacs' laboratory focuses
on how age, gender, and alcohol exposure affect inflammation
and immunity after injury. 1) Studies are exploring the mechanisms
by which estrogen and testosterone modulate macrophage and
lymphocyte function after injury. In these studies, hormone
regulation of production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines,
including tumor necrosis factor a, interleukin-1, interleukin-6,
interleukin-10, and transforming growth factor b, is being
examined. Further investigation includes testing the therapeutic
efficacy of gonadal steroid hormones and hormone receptor
antagonists in combination with anti-cytokine antibodies to
improve immune responses. 2) Advanced age is associated with
a weakened immune system and alterations in glucocorticoid
and gonadal steroid hormone levels. Therefore, affects of
the aging endocrine system on cell-mediated immune responses
after injury are being investigated. By giving hormone supplementation
or receptor antagonists, it should be possible to restore
the hormone milieu to that of a young adult and improve immunity.
3) Neither moderate ethanol exposure nor minor injuries have
prolonged effects on young adults, but together they can result
in marked increases in morbidity and mortality. The combined
insult affects multiple organ systems, including the lung,
liver, and skin, as well as the immune system. Current studies
in the Kovacs laboratory are determining mechanisms by which
alcohol exposure affects leukocyte function after injury and
whether cytokine and anti-cytokine treatment regimens can
be used to improve these responses.
Representative
Publications
View a partial list of
Dr.
Kovacs' publications through the National
Library of Medicine's PubMed online database.
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