Meet Lauren E. Hartstein, PhD!
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
Why you should know Dr. Hartstein:
- Interdisciplinary scientist bridging psychiatry, developmental science, physiology, and lighting science.
- Leads a novel, NIH-funded research program examining how modern lighting environments shape sleep and circadian biology in early childhood.
- Generated foundational evidence that preschoolers are highly sensitive to even dim evening light, directly informing guidance for parents.
- Real world impact: Dr. Hartstein's work identifies modifiable environmental and behavioral factors (light exposure, screen use, melatonin) affecting sleep and circadian health that can be translated into pediatric practice and public health recommendations.
Meet Julie Ledford, PhD!
Professor, Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Associate Director, Asthma & Airways Disease Research center
Co-Director, CTS (graduate program)
Co-Director, Lung Focus Group SWEHSC
Research Programs:
- Mechanisms of airway epithelial cell dysfunction in asthma and COPD
- Drug development for obstructive airway diseases based on function of endogenous proteins.
- Menopause onset asthma & impact of hormone replacement.
Key Publications:
•Zhai, J1, oInsel, M.1, [etc] …, Guerra, S., 2Ledford, J.G†; Club cell secretory protein deficiency leads to altered lung function; American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 201 Feb 2019. 1;199(3):302-312. PMID: 30543455.
•Johnson MDL, oYounis US, [etc] …, Guerra S, Ledford J.G.†. CC16 Binding to α4β1 Integrin (VLA-4) Protects Against Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2020 Dec 16. PMID: 33326355
Patents/disclosures:
•UA16-153, US patent 11,110,152 Issued Sept 7, 2021.
•COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING LUNG DISEASE. Inventors: Julie Ledford, Monica Kraft
•US application 17/409642 (filed and pending world-wide)
•US application 18/586133, Continuation in Progress (CIP) filed and pending worldwide
•UA19-271, patent application 17/917791 allowed in Canada and Japan; (filed and pending China, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Europe) SP-A PEPTIDE MIMETICS IN THE TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY LUNG DISEASES. Inventors: Julie Ledford, Monica Kraft, Josef Vagner, Scott Boitano
•UA23-164, ARIZ 23.35 Prov (#63/611,467); Pending conversion to non-provisional and PCT.
CC16-DERIVED ANALOGS FOR THE TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATORY AND OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG DISEASES. Inventors: Ledford, Julie; Vagner, Josef; Guerra, Stefano; Johnson, Michael D. L