Leah Hubbard
e-mail address: hubbardl@umich.edu

Mentor: Beth Moore, PhD

Research Description

Our research investigates impaired pulmonary innate immunity post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).  Due to delays in immune reconstitution, HSCT patients are susceptible to infection, particularly of the lung (i.e. bacterial pneumonia).  Even after immune reconstitution, donor-derived cells are often functionally immature, and patients remain at risk for infectious complications months to years post-transplant.  Therefore, we are currently working with a mouse model of syngeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) to determine how HSCT alone impacts host defense in the lung.  In particular, we are investigating how overproduction of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the lung post-BMT suppresses alveolar macrophage host defense mechanisms.

Publications

Wang, S, Hubbard, LL, Chang, Y, Guo, J, Schiefelbein, J, and JG Chen. Comprehensive Analysis of Single-Repeat R3 MYB Proteins in Epidermal Cell Patterning and Their Transcriptional Regulation in Arabidopsis. BMC Plant Biol. 2008 Jul 21; 8(1):81.

Ballinger M.N., Hubbard L.L., McMillan T.R., Toews G.B., Peters-Golden M., Paine III R., and Moore B.B., Paradoxical Role of Alveolar Macrophage-Derived Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor in Pulmonary Host Defense post-Bone Marrow Transplantation. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, 2008 Jul; 295(1):L114-22.

Hubbard, L.L., Ballinger, M.N., Wilke, C.A. and B.B. Moore, Comparison of Conditioning Regimens for Alveolar Macrophage Reconstitution and Innate Immune Function post-Bone Marrow Transplant. Exp Lung Res, 2008 Jun; 34(5): 263-75.

Abstracts

Hubbard, L.L., Ballinger, M.N., McMillan, T.R., Paine III, R., Peters-Golden, M., Toews, G.B. and B.B. Moore: The Role of GM-CSF in Regulating Host Defense post-Bone Marrow Transplant. American Thoracic Society Conference, Toronto, Canada 2008.

Hubbard, L.L., Ballinger, M.N., Standiford, T.J., and B.B. Moore, A Role for IRAK-M in PGE2-Induced Immunosuppression Post-Bone Marrow Transplant. American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Tampa, Florida 2009.

Hubbard, L.L., Ballinger, M.N., Standiford, T.J., and B.B. Moore, A Role for IRAK-M in PGE2-Induced Immunosuppression Post-Bone Marrow Transplant. Gordon Research Conference- Phagocytes, Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, 2009.

Awards

MAAS Deans Fellowship
Rackham Merit Fellowship