How do diseases begin?

The Kropski lab at Vanderbilt investigates the mechanisms of lung development, injury, repair and fibrosis with a focus on the molecular origins of lung disease. Our goals are to 1) understand the molecular mechanisms that initiate chronic lung disease pathogenesis, 2) develop strategies for early diagnosis of chronic lung disease and 3) establish novel therapeutic approaches to prevent progression of these diseases. We utilize a multifaceted approach including studying families with interstitial lung disease to identify genes and mechanisms that drive disease risk, single-cell and genomic technologies using cells and tissues from patients with these diseases, and innovative cell culture and transgenic animal models in a highly collaborative “team science” environment focused on improving the lives of patients with interstitial and other chronic lung diseases.