Joseph Zabner, M.D. (Full Member)
Professor, Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa

http://www.int-med.uiowa.edu/Divisions/Pulmonary/Directory/JosephZabner.html

Research Interest    

Dr. Zabner has significant experience in basic cystic fibrosis (CF) research, clinical CF research, and the care of patients with CF and other lung diseases. Several aspects of his research would be best classified as translational research. Basic research in Dr. Zabner's laboratory focuses in two areas: gene transfer to airway epithelia (including the basic mechanisms and development of new approaches to gene transfer); and an investigation of the pathogenesis of CF airway disease (including mechanisms of electrolyte transport and bacterial killing). Long-term goals of Dr. Zabner's gene therapy efforts have been to gain a better understanding of adenoviral and adeno-associated viral infection in the airway and to improve the efficiency of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to the airways. In the context of adenovirus, the Zabner laboratory has made significant contributions to our understanding of the biology of the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor. Dr. Zabner also has an active program investigating receptors and mechanisms of transduction by various AAV serotypes, which has led to the identification of cellular binding receptors for both AAV-5 and AAV-4. Recently, Dr. Zabner's group has used targeted evolution to identify novel capsid sequences that bind and infect human airway epithelia more efficiently. With the recent cloning of large animal models of cystic fibrosis, Dr. Zabner will expand his research interests to the study CF lung pathogenesis in these models, and to the development of gene therapy interventions for the prevention and/or treatment of lung infections in CF. Dr. Zabner is actively involved in CF clinical trials that aim to enhance the antibacterial properties of the airway.

Selected Publications:

Excoffon KJ, Traver GL, and Zabner J. The role of the extracellular domain in the biology of the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol 32: 498-503, 2005.

Vermeer PD, Panko L, Karp P, Lee JH, and Zabner J. Differentiation of human airway epithelia is dependent on erbB2. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 291: L175-180, 2006.

Vermeer PD, Panko L, Welsh MJ, and Zabner J. erbB1 functions as a sensor of airway epithelial integrity by regulation of protein phosphatase 2A activity. J Biol Chem 281: 1725-1730, 2006.

Excoffon KJ, Gansemer N, Traver G, and Zabner J. Functional effects of coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor glycosylation on homophilic adhesion and adenoviral infection. J Virol 81: 5573-5578, 2007.

Publications from Gene Therapy Center

Publications from PubMed