Education:
B.A., M.A. (Biophysics)
Johns Hopkins University, 1980.
Ph.D. (Immunology & Biochemistry)
University of California at San Francisco, 1988.
M.D.
University of California at San Francisco, 1988.
Research Interests:
The etiopathogenesis of lupus and the regulation of genes involved in inflammation.
Research Summary:
We are interested in genes that control inflammation and specifically in the role of these genes in inflammatory disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Crohn's disease. Over-expression of TNF is a characteristic of most inflammatory diseases and anti-TNF antibody treatment is a valuable strategy. By understanding the regulation of TNF expression, we hope to develop strategies which would allow resetting of the TNF locus such that production is normalized.
A variety of techniques are used in the lab to understand the genetics of SLE. Chromatin immunoprecipitation is used to define the epigenetic status of a given locus and micrococcal nuclease is used to define nucleosome positions. Additional studies of chromatin as a dynamic modulator of gene expression are planned and we will continue to define the variables that are important in the development of lupus.
Primary Immunodeficiencies
Selected Publications
Rahimi, H., Maurer, K., Akhter, E, Petri, M., Sullivan KE: Aberrant Regulation of the Integrin Very Late Antigen 4 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Lupus 2013.
Shi Lihua, Perin Juan C, Leipzig Jeremy, Zhang Zhe, Sullivan Kathleen E: Genome-wide analysis of interferon regulatory factor I binding in primary human monocytes. Gene 487(1): 21-8, Nov 2011.
Zhang Z, Song L, Maurer K, Bagashev A, Sullivan K E: Monocyte polarization: the relationship of genome-wide changes in H4 acetylation with polarization. Genes and immunity 12(6): 445-56, Sep 2011.
Orange Jordan S, Glessner Joseph T, Resnick Elena, Sullivan Kathleen E, Lucas Mary, Ferry Berne, Kim Cecilia E, Hou Cuiping, Wang Fengxiang, Chiavacci Rosetta, Kugathasan Subra, Sleasman John W, Baldassano Robert, Perez Elena E, Chapel Helen, Cunningham-Rundles Charlotte, Hakonarson Hakon: Genome-wide association identifies diverse causes of common variable immunodeficiency. The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology 127(6): 1360-7.e6, Jun 2011.
Stadtmauer, EA, Vogl, DT, Prak, EL, Boyer, J, Aqui, NA, Rapoport, AP, McDonald, KR, Hou, X, Murphy, H, Bhagat, R, Mangan, PA, Chew, A, Veloso, EA, Levine, BL, Vonderheide, RH, Jawad, AF, June, CH, Sullivan, KE: Transfer of Influenza Vaccine-Primed Co-stimulated Autologoud T-Cells after Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma Leads to Reconstitution of Influenza Immunity: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial. Blood/Journal of the American Society of Hematology 117(1): 63-71, January 2011.
Arakawa Rachel, Bagashev Asen, Song Li, Maurer Kelly, Sullivan Kathleen E:Characterization of LRRFIP1. Biochemistry and cell biology = Biochimie et biologie cellulaire 88(6): 899-906, Dec 2010.
Bagashev Asen, Fitzgerald Michael C, Larosa David F, Rose Patrick P, Cherry Sara, Johnson Alfred C, Sullivan Kathleen E: Leucine-rich repeat (in Flightless I) interacting protein-1 regulates a rapid type I interferon response. Journal of interferon & cytokine research : the official journal of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research 30(11): 843-52, Nov 2010.
Zhang Z, Song L, Maurer K, Petri M A, Sullivan K E: Global H4 acetylation analysis by ChIP-chip in systemic lupus erythematosus monocytes. Genes and immunity 11(2): 124-33, Mar 2009.
Zhang Zhe, Maurer Kelly, Perin Juan C, Song Li, Sullivan Kathleen E: Cytokine-induced monocyte characteristics in SLE. Journal of biomedicine & biotechnology 2010: 507475, 2010.
Garrett, S., Dietzmann-Maurer, K., Song, L., Sullivan, K. E. : Polarization of primary human monocytes by IFN-γ induces chromatin changes and recruits RNA Pol II to the TNF-α promoter.J. Immunol. (180), 5257-66, 2008