Richard P. Phipps Dean’s Professor of Environmental Medicine, Oncology, Pediatrics, and Microbiology & Immunology: Director, Lung Biology and Disease Program B.S. 1977 (Loyola College) Ph.D. 1980 (Medical College of Virginia) E-Mail: richard_phipps@urmc.rochester.edu

Lateset News: • $1.5 Million National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grant Funds Research to Improve Safety of Red Blood Cell Transfusions

"Identification and significance of biologic mediators in red cell concentrates," Neil Blumberg, M.D. , and Richard P. Phipps, Ph.D. , University of Rochester, N.Y. This team will investigate red blood cell units' supernatant, including hemoglobin, microparticles, and fats. The team will investigate what changes the supernatant undergoes, what effects it and the stored red blood cells have on patients' platelets, and whether salt-water washing or other methods reverse those effects.

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Role of Fibroblasts in Lung Injury Cellular and molecular characterization of fibroblasts as mediators of inflammation, wound healing and fibrosis: Injury to the lung from exposure to chemotherapeutic agents, irradiation, or occupational hazards such as pesticides, may lead to pulmonary fibrosis. The advanced stages of this disease are characterized by a fibroblast hyperplasia and by excessive accumulation of fibroblast-secreted connective tissue such as collagen.

This laboratory is investigating whether subpopulations of fibroblasts exist and if so, their role in lung inflammation and fibrosis: We were the first to prove that lung fibroblasts are divisible into two major populations based on expression of the Thy-1 antigen. Our observations indicate that Thy 1+ fibroblasts mediate the bulk of tissue repair while the Thy-1- subset regulates inflammation, which typically precedes fibrosis. Our studies support the hypothesis that the fibroblast is not simply a target for cytokines produced by cells such as macrophages and T lymphocytes, but that differential production of cytokines by fibroblast subsets regulate the activities of cells of the immune system which inhabit the lung.

Current efforts are directed at determining how a surface receptor called CD40 regulates fibroblast proliferation, cytokine production, interaction with lymphocytes and proliferation. Understanding the activities of fibroblasts will permit the design of more rational approaches to arrest or reverse potentially fatal and untreatable pulmonary fibrotic disease.

Technology Transfer and Business Development

• Successfully evaluated a new chemokine receptor antagonist to help prevent cigarette smoke lung damage using a preclinical animal model. Efficacy in the preclinical model supported moving forward with a clinical trial.
• Prior success with Biogen, Schering-Plough providing technical expertise, preclinical models of lung scarring and primary human cells for drug evaluation.
• Prior success with Boeringer Ingelheim, Bausch & Lomb, and American Home Products. These efforts involved providing scientific expertise, in vitro testing of lead compounds, and tests for efficacy in animal models of scarring and inflammation. New findings permitted lead compounds to move forward toward clinical testing.

Recent Publications

All publications

Revised 8/3/10 (tc & vgl)