Bogatkevich & Silver Research Lab

The Bogatkevich Silver lab investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms of interstitial lung disease or pulmonary fibrosis in scleroderma patients. Pulmonary fibrosis is a serious complication and the leading cause of mortality in scleroderma, for which there is an unmet need for effective and safe therapy. We work with primary cell lines, transgenic mice, and animal models of pulmonary fibrosis to develop new and effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Recently we identified a small peptide with strong antifibrotic properties. We demonstrated that the peptide has antifibrotic effects in the preventive mouse model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis and in primary human lung and skin fibroblasts isolated from patients with scleroderma-associated pulmonary fibrosis.

Another major project in the laboratory is focused on thrombin signaling in scleroderma lung disease. Our research group was the first to demonstrate that thrombin differentiates lung fibroblasts to pro-fibrotic myofibroblasts and that the direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran etexilate attenuates lung injury in a murine model of pulmonary fibrosis. We are dedicated to ultimately translating our discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient's bedside. Recently, we have successfully completed a prospective study to test the safety and tolerability of dabigatran in scleroderma patients with interstitial lung disease. Currently, we are conducting studies on lung fibroblasts, extracellular matrix production, and cytokine networks in scleroderma patients before and after dabigatran treatment.

Publications:

Bogatkevich PubMed Collection

Silver PubMed Collection

Senior Author Publications:

Bogatkevich Senior Author PubMed Collection

Silver Senior Author PubMed Collection
(senior author publications are most often associated with mentored projects)