Norma Gerard, PhD
| Department | Pulmonary Medicine |
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| Hospital Title |
Director, Ina Sue Perlmutter Cystic Fibrosis Research Laboratory |
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| Academic Title | Professor of Medicine | |
| Phone | 617-355-6737 | |
| Fax | 617-730-0240 | |
| Norma Gerard | ||
| Location |
300 Longwood Avenue Enders-14 Boston MA 02215 |
Research Overview
The general focus of research in Norma Gerard's laboratory is on the molecular mechanisms of leukocyte trafficking (the way in which white blood cells mobilize in routine surveillance and during an inflammatory response). Her group is particularly interested in the family of G protein-coupled receptors that direct the migration of leukocytes--both at baseline and during inflammation. Such receptors include those for the complement anaphylatoxins C5a and C3a; neurokinins, including substance P and neurokinin A; lipids, including platelet activating factor and leukotrienes; and other peptides, including chemokines and bacterial formyl peptides. They are using complementary approaches, such as genetic mouse models, transfection of cultured cells, and expression analyses, to understand the complex balance between host defense and untoward inflammation that is mediated by these ligands and receptors.
About Norma Gerard
Norma Gerard received her PhD from the University of Connecticut. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Diego.
Key Publications
- Lu B, Humbles A, Bota D, Gerard C, Moser B, Soler D, Luster AD, Gerard NP. Structure and function of the murine chemokine receptor CXCR3. European Journal of Immunology. 1999; 29: 3804-3812.
- Gerard C, Gerard NP. Chemokines: back to the future? Nature Cell Biolology. 2001; 3: E53-E54.
- Gerard NP, Gerard C. Complement in allergy and asthma. Current Opinion in Immunology 2002; 707-708.
