Dr. Sekhar Reddy is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. His lab is using various molecular approaches and cell culture and mouse models to understand molecular mechanisms underlying oxidant induced lung injury and abnormal repair leading to infectious complications.
Currently, they elucidate the exact mechanisms by which oxidative stress (Nrf2 signaling) and MAP kinase/AP-1 contributes to the development of ALI and also perpetuates pre-existing injury leading to infectious complications. Specifically, they are elucidating upstream signaling mechanisms that control the activation of Nrf2 transcription factor and its downstream effectors, as a means of gaining insight into the development and perpetuation of ALI.
To this end, they found that disruption of Nrf2 impairs resolution of ALI leading to defective lung tissue repair and persistent inflammation and also promotes susceptibility to bacterial infection after oxidant induced ALI, ultimately leading to death of the host. For the past years, he has been funded by NIH and published several papers related to Nrf2 and Fra-1/AP-1 signaling and lung injury repair.
His research is focused on tumor growth, molecular approaches and cell culture. He conducts his research by the use of mouse models.