Neil Alexis, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
H.B.Sc., University of Toronto, 1984
M.H.Sc., University of Toronto, 1988
Ph.D., University of Toronto, 1997
Postdoc, University of North Carolina, 2000
Joined the Center in 1997
Research Interests
My research examines host defense responses in lung diseases such as asthma and COPD and how inhaled pollutants alter these responses in exposed humans. My recent interests include studying the effects of vaping on lung macrophages and how macrophage immunometabolic profiles change depending on their anatomic location in the respiratory tract. Finally, my research includes establishing and maintaining the CEMALB Biorepository, where we house over 10,000 biological samples for research interrogation.
Lab Personnel
Heather Wells, Research Manager
Haven Ross, Lab Supervisor
Selected Publications
1. Wu T, Huang J, Moore PJ, Little MS, Walton WG, Fellner RC, Alexis NE, Peter Di Y, Redinbo MR, Tilley SL, Tarran R. Identification of BPIFA1/SPLUNC1 as an epithelium-derived smooth muscle relaxing factor. Na. Commun. 2017 Feb 6;7:42214.
2. Maestre-Batlle D, Pena OM, Hirota JA, Gunawan E, Rider CF, Sutherland D, Alexis NE, Carlsten C. Novel flow cytometry approach to identify bronchial epithelial cells from healthy human airways.Sc Rp. 2017 Feb 6;7:42214.
3. Alexis NE, Bennett WD, Peden DB. Safety and Benefits of Inhaled Hypertonic Saline Following Airway Challenges with Endotoxin and Allergen in Asthmatics. J asthma 2017 Jan 17:0.
4. Bennett WE, Ivins S, Alexis NE, Wu J, Bromberg PA, Brar SS, Travlos G, London SJ. Effect of Obesity on Acute Ozone-Induced Changes in Airway Function, Reactivity and Inflammation in Adult Females. PLoS One 2016 Aug 11;11(8):e0160030.
5. Sesma JI, Weitzer CD, Livraghi-Butrico A, Dang H, Donaldson S, Alexis NE, Jacobson KA, Harden TK, Lazarowski ER. UDP-glucose promotes neutrophil recruitment in the lung.Purinergic Signal 2016 Dec; 12(4):627-635.
6. Kobernick AK, Peden DB, Zhou H, Zhou Q, Dillon MA, Alexis NE. Reproducibility of the inflammatory response to inhaled endotoxin in healthy volunteers. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2016 Oct; 138(4):1205-1207.
7. Alexis NE, Carlsten C. Interplay of air pollution asthma immunopathogenesis: a focus review of diesel exhaust and ozone. Int’l Immunopharmacol. 2014 Nov; 23(1):347-355.
Additional Resources:
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