Faculty receive Bander Awards to advance pulmonary research

The USA Center for Lung Biology at the Whiddon College of Medicine recently announced the recipients of the 2024 Murray Bander Faculty Development Awards. The $5,000 awards, which provide support for one year, are intended to foster innovative discoveries in pulmonary research.

Saminathan Anbalagan, M.D.

Saminathan Anbalagan, M.D., a neonatologist at USA Health and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, is one of four award recipients this year. He is investigating how a protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP) might play a role in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and its link to long-term brain issues. BPD is a chronic lung disease that affects newborns, particularly those born prematurely or who require oxygen therapy.

Premature birth is a growing concern in the United States, with 1 in 10 babies being born preterm. Up to 40% of these premature babies develop BPD. Babies with BPD often face not only lung problems but also brain-related issues such as learning difficulties, low IQ and cerebral palsy. 

“I suspect that a combination of factors before and after birth, such as infections during pregnancy and high oxygen levels used to help premature babies breathe, may trigger harmful forms of APP,” Anbalagan said. “These forms could then lead to both severe lung problems (BPD) and neurological issues like cognitive delays.” 

To study this, his research team will use a special group of mice — some with normal levels of APP and others genetically modified to lack this protein. While the mice are pregnant, Anbalagan will simulate an infection in the womb by injecting a substance called LPS into the amniotic fluid. After birth, the baby mice will either be exposed to high oxygen levels (similar to what premature human babies need) or kept in normal air conditions. 

“After a few days, I will examine their lung and brain health, measuring lung function, brain activity, and the presence of harmful APP proteins,” Anbalagan said.

This research is part of the newly established Research in Organogenesis (RIO) program by the Division of Neonatology, in close collaboration with the Center for Lung Biology. 

Thiago Bruder, Ph.D.

Thiago Bruder, Ph.D., an assistant professor of physiology and cell biology, is exploring the role of endothelial progranulin, a secreted protein, in the genesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a rapidly worsening condition characterized by increased resistance in the pulmonary vessels, often leading to fatal outcomes. Endothelial cells play a crucial role in the development of PAH, and previous research suggests that these cells undergo accelerated aging in the disease. 

“Our latest research aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms driving this premature aging in endothelial cells and explore potential strategies to prevent or slow down this process,” Bruder said. “This work could cover the way for novel therapies to combat PAH and improve patient outcomes.”

Natalie Bauer, Ph.D.

Natalie Bauer, Ph.D., assistant dean for admissions and an associate professor of pharmacology, also focuses on PAH. Her lab group recently published that there are differences between males and females with regard to immune responses in the progression of the disease.

“To understand the mechanism of these differences, we will use the Bander Award to develop a more robust model of the disease that more closely replicates the human progression of PAH,” Bauer said.

Raymond J. Langley, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology, aims to develop a humanized mouse model of pneumonia. In human studies, researchers have found that a number of patients who die from bacterial infections experience a what is called a bioenergetic crisis.   

Raymond J. Langley, Ph.D.

“Simply put, many of these patients’ metabolic profiles suggest that their organs are unable to produce enough energy to survive the infection,” Langley said. “Our results suggest that there is depletion of a key molecule known as Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The loss of this molecule can impact mitochondrial energy production.” 

To test this mechanism, Langley’s team will utilize a mouse model of pneumonia to determine the impact of NAD+ depletion due to an infection. Using the mouse model, they can recapitulate many aspects of the bioenergetic response seen in humans. However, mice catabolize, or break down, NAD+ differently than humans. To better understand the mechanism of this process, the researchers will “humanize” the mouse model by reducing the amount of Aox3 enzyme in mice so catabolism of NAD+ is more human-like. 

Langley acknowledged the contributions of Marie Migaud, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology; Jonathon Audia, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and immunology; and graduate student Adeyeye Haastrup. 

The USA Center for Lung Biology comprises more than 40 faculty members and 25 postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and graduate students representing both basic and clinical science departments, all interested in aspects of lung biology.

Murray Bander, a World War II veteran who moved from New York to Mobile to operate a clothing shop, died from complications of pneumonia in 2001. He left his estate to the Whiddon College of Medicine in 2003, and the Murray Bander Endowment for the Center for Lung Biology was established to support scholarly activities in lung biology.

The faculty expressed their appreciation to the Bander family for supporting the awards, which allow them to pursue novel research ideas that hopefully lead to future independent funding.

Neonatologist selected for state quality improvement role

Kelechi Ikeri, MBBS

USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital neonatologist Kelechi Ikeri, MBBS, has been selected as the new neonatal physician lead for the Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ALPQC).  

The ALPQC is a state perinatal program initiated by the Alabama Department of Public Health and funded by the state and federal government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

In this position, Ikeri will work with the Alabama Department of Health to implement, coordinate, and oversee perinatal quality improvement initiatives and address health equity across the state at 24 member hospitals.  

“We are proud that Dr. Ikeri’s work for the infants in our community is being recognized,” said Maran Ramani, M.D., who leads the neonatology division at Children’s & Women’s Hospital. “In this new role, he will help the state to set newborn care standards.”  

Developed in 2018, Alabama’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative is a network of stakeholders that aims to improve pregnancy and infant outcomes through identifying and quickly improving problems through implementation of research-based best practices.  

Ikeri, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, said he was drawn to USA Health because of the patient population’s wide range of complexity and cases. He is the author or co-author of 11 research papers. 

Ikeri was born in Nigeria and earned a bachelor of medicine and surgery degree from the University of Lagos College of Medicine in Idi-Araba, in Lagos, Nigeria. An interest in critical care medicine, he said, attracted him to neonatology.  

He worked in hospitals in Nigeria and the island of Tobago before moving to the United States in 2015. Ikeri completed a pediatrics residency at Woodhull Medical and Mental Health Centre in Brooklyn, New York, in 2018 and completed a neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia in June 2021. 

Ikeri is certified in general pediatrics and neonatology by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and American College of Medical Quality.