Rothenberg Lab

Current Projects

Research Objectives

The Rothenberg CURED Research Laboratory has several broad research areas and objectives, including:

Epigenetic Basis of Disease and Immunity

Genetic Basis of Allergic Disease

Immunopathogenesis of Allergic Inflammation

• Elucidating the cellular and molecular processes involved in allergic responses in the gastrointestinal tract and lung
• Developing novel models of allergic responses in vivo and in vitro
• Testing the importance of key molecules including chemokines, cytokines and adhesion molecules in immunity

Impaired Barrier Function

Pathogenesis of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Investigating the transcriptional programs, regulating molecules and signal transduction mechanisms responsible for eosinophil development and activation
• Translating bench discoveries into novel therapeutics that treat inflammatory diseases such as eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and hypereosinophilic syndromes (HES)
• Identifying eosinophil subpopulations by single-cell RNA sequencing
• Determining the role of eosinophils in homeostasis and host responses

Precision and Predictive Medicine

• Conducting big data (genomics, proteonomics) analyses of allergic disease with a focus on eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)
• Translating research findings into improved diagnostics (Learn more)

Proteases and Protease Inhibitors in Inflammation

• Investigating the role of proteases and protease inhibitors in immunity

Allergen mRNA Vaccines for Asthma and Food Allergy

Impact of Age on Immunity and Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE)

Identifying Environmental Factors Involved in Allergic Disease

Initiation of Allergic Responses

• Elucidating IL-33 processing and nuclear function
• Investigating TSLP biology and targeting
• Characterizing role of in utero environment in postnatal immunity
• Conducting amniotic fluid studies

Mast Cells in Allergic Disease

• Leveraging single-cell sequencing for mast cell studies
• Investigating mast cell subtypes
• Developing therapeutic targeting of mast cells

Microbiome in Allergic Disease

• Investigating mechanism and usage of pro-biotics and pre-biotics
• Leveraging fecal transplantation
• Characterizing microbiome identity and function in esophagus and allergic immunity

EGIDExpress Data Sharing

• Published datasets generated by the Rothenberg CURED Laboratory that can be viewed by families, clinicians and researchers on demand via EGIDExpress

Rothenberg CURED Research Laboratory

The mission of the laboratory, supported by the Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Diseases (CURED), is to control the activity of dysregulated proteases in the esophagus as a target therapy for eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The laboratory comprises researchers from diverse disciplines who work together synergistically and collaborate with outside partners, including pharmaceutical companies and other academic institutions.

• Produce recombinant proteins and small molecules in amounts sufficient for preclinical usage
• Test the activity of candidate proteins and other chemical entities in cellular systems in vitro, as well as translational ex vivo and in vivo disease models
• Develop novel approaches for esophageal specific delivery of drugs
• Clinical studies
• Proof-of-concept studies designed to test hypotheses developed in the laboratory
• Examine the impact and consequences of eosinophil-ablative therapy in humans
• Design novel therapeutic interventions
• Apply precision therapy to allergic disease
• Use molecular diagnostics, genomics and transcriptomics to endotype and predict prognosis and therapeutic responses
• Bring molecular medicine, as done in cancer field, to the forefront of allergic diseases