The Parekh Lab

Obliterative Bronchiolitis Immunofluorescence

Research led by Dr. Kal Parekh focuses on airway stem cell depletion as a mechanism for pulmonary allograft failure. The lab has developed a clinically relevant animal model of lung transplantation in the ferret. Orthotopically transplanted ferret lung allografts develop the full spectrum of inflammatory and fibrotic pathology that is seen in human allografts. Our lab leverages this model to investigate how impaired epithelial regeneration leads to fibrosis and to discover the mechanisms that lead to the depletion of endogenous airway stem cells in transplanted lungs. We use quantitative approaches to study airway stem cells throughout the lung and investigate mechanisms that impact their multipotency and self-renewal in health and disease.

Pictured: Immunofluorescent image of an airway with obliterative bronchiolitis. The stylized image shows keratin 8 staining in cyan, Ki67 staining in red, S100A12 staining in green, and nuclei are shown in grey.

Kal R. Parekh, MBBS, FACS

Nicholas P. Rossi Professor in Cardiothoracic Surgery
Chair, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology

Research Focus
Physician-scientist Kal R. Parekh studies lung transplantation and the role of epithelial stem cells in preventing the development of progressively fatal chronic lung allograft dysfunction.

View Dr. Parekh's physician profile.

Highlights

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology The Parekh lab is located in the Dapartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology. Link
Confocal Microscopy This image of a trachea shows the airway suraface epithelium and underlying submucosal glands. Image is pseudocolored for depth.
Tools of the trade The Parekh lab uses a "cutting-edge" ferret lung transplantation model to drive discovery and challenge paradigms.
A Setting for Discovery Join the Parekh Lab and launch your career in a highly collaborative and creative research environment at The University of Iowa, which is among the top 50 NIH-funded universities in the county. link
Lung Transplant Research Translational and basic science research in the Parekh lab is focused on improving the long-term survival of lung transplant patients. Link