Her research focuses on the role of gamma secretase activating protein (GSAP) in the production of cytotoxic beta amyloid during hospital-acquired pneumonia.
"Patients in the intensive care unit that get hospital-acquired pneumonia have increased incidences of morbidity, including neurocognitive decline and mortality post-discharge," Gwin said. "We believe that the beta amyloid produced by the lung endothelium could be contributing to the morbidity and mortality seen in these patients. The outcome of this proposal could give us insight into a new prevention and/or therapy for end-organ damage and neurocognitive decline seen in ICU patients that acquire nosocomial pneumonia."
Dr. Troy Stevens, director of the USA Center for Lung Biology and Lenoir Louise Locke Chair of Physiology and Cell Biology at the USA College of Medicine, encouraged Gwin to apply for external funding for her research.
"I was extremely excited when I received my award notice. I actually cried - happy tears, of course," Gwin said. "It is really cool to see something I’ve dreamed about and worked so hard on become reality."
Gwin said she would like to thank the following individuals for their contributions to her research: Dr. Stevens; Dr. Mikhail Alexeyev, professor of physiology and cell biology; Viktoriya Pastukh, research assistant in physiology and cell biology; Nataliya Kozhukhar, research technician in physiology and cell biology; Dr. Domenico Spadafora, manager of the USA Flow Cytometry Core Laboratory; Dr. Ji Young Lee, assistant professor of physiology and cell biology and internal medicine; Dr. Ron Balczon, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology; Sarah Voth, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of physiology and cell biology; and Nicole Housley, research technologist in microbiology and immunology.
Learn more about the American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship.
