Wong Lab

As part of our efforts to elucidate the role of MMP-8 in sepsis we are collaborating with the Division of Human Genetics at Cincinnati Children’s to interrogate our genomic database for variations in the human MMP-8 gene. We are using Nex-Gen Sequencing to detect common, rare and potentially previously undiscovered variants in the MMP-8 gene that may be associated with septic shock severity. Our collaborators are Ge Zhang, MD, PhD, Gregory Grabowski, MD, and Mehdi Keddache, PhD.

We are collaborating with Jennifer Kaplan, MD, MS, from the Division of Critical Care Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s in a Phase 1 trial that is investigating the safety and pharmacokinetics / pharmacodynamics of pioglitazone administration in pediatric severe sepsis and septic shock. Pioglitazone belongs to a class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which are commonly used for type 2 diabetes. TZDs are agonists for the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Research within the Division of Critical Care Medicine by Basilia Zingarelli, MD, PhD, and Kaplan has demonstrated that therapy with TZDs is beneficial in experimental models of sepsis. This Phase 1 trial is the first basic research effort in the Division of Critical Care Medicine that has been directly translated to the bedside of critically ill children. Kaplan has secured investigational new drug (IND) approval from the FDA, and the trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. The work by Kaplan and Zingarelli leading up to this trial is funded by grants from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Grant 1
Grant 2

We are collaborating with the Department of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine  in a National Institute of General Medical Sciences-sponsored T32 training program. The program is co-administered by Alex Lentsch, PhD,  and Hector Wong, MD, and provides a structured, two-year basic research training environment for general surgery residents and pediatric critical care medicine fellows. Read more about the program.