Geraldine Grant
Chair, Department of Biology
Affiliations
- Departments
- Dean’s Administration (Staff)
- Department of Biology
- School of Systems Biology (Affiliate faculty)
Education
- PhD, Cell Biology, Toxicology.
- Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland (1993)
- BA Mod, Biochemistry. Trinity College Dublin, Ireland (1987)
Current Research
The focus of the Grant Labs research is the fatal interstitial lung disease Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) and it instigator cell – the fibroblast.
There is no cure for IPF, few therapeutic options and an average survival rate of 3-5 years. My lab studies the role of unregulated wound repair, carried out by the fibroblast cells, as the driving force in IPF. Our lab uses cell biology and molecular techniques, to focused on fibroblast biology. We are investigating the disconnect from normal regulatory signaling mechanisms present in IPF fibroblasts with a view to a mechanism and potential therapeutics to eradicate IPF.
Currently working with:
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Inova Fairfax Hospital, Advanced Lung Disease & Transplant Research
Teaching Focus
Dr. Grant teaches BIOL213 Cell Structure and Function, BIOL498 Research Seminar, BIOL484 Cell Signaling, and a series of laboratory based courses, BIOL485, BIOL585 and BIOS 740, and is a strong advocate for undergraduate research.
Selected Publications
- Rodriguez LR, Bui SN, Beuschel RT, Ellis E, Liberti EM, Chhina MK, Cannon B, Lemma M, Nathan SD, Grant GM. Curcumin induced oxidative stress attenuation by N-acetylcysteine co-treatment: a fibroblast and epithelial cell in-vitro study in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Mol Med. 2019 Jun 13;25(1):27.
- Lippi SLP, Craven KM, Hernandez CM, Grant GM, Flinn JM. Perfusion alters free zinc levels in the rodent brain. J Neurosci Methods. 2019 Mar 1;315:14-16.
- Rodriguez LR, Emblom-Callahan M, Chhina M, Bui S, Aljeburry B, Tran LH, Novak R, Lemma M, Nathan SD, Grant GM. Global Gene Expression Analysis in an in vitro Fibroblast Model of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Reveals Potential Role for CXCL14/CXCR4. Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 5;8(1):3983.
- Kirillov V, Siler JT, Ramadass M, Ge L, Davis J, Grant G, Nathan SD, Jarai G, Trujillo G. Sustained activation of toll-like receptor 9 induces an invasive phenotype in lung fibroblasts: possible implications in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Am J Pathol. 2015 Apr;185(4):943-57.
Awards
