Raina N. Fichorova, MD, PhD, Director
DIVISION MEMBERS
Radiana Trifonova, MD, PhD
Rosaria Rita Siervo Sassi
Teresa Kiama, Visiting Scholar
MISSION
To advance medical knowledge, prevention and cure of inflammatory conditions sequelae in the female genital tract.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Our research objective is to identify epithelial cell pathways associated with resistance and susceptibility to infection in the female genital tract and to advance women’s health. The hypothesis guiding our studies is that cervical and vaginal epithelial cells have developed distinct molecular mechanisms to tolerate the normal vaginal microflora and at the same time to respond to ascending pathogens and other environmental exposures as an essential part of their reproductive and immune functions.
- Our findings showed, for the first time, that human cervical and vaginal epithelial cells express functional bactericidal permeability increasing protein, until recently believed to be myeloid lineage restricted, as part of their defense against Gram-negative bacteria (J. Infect. Dis. 2006, featured on cover).
- Dr. Fichorova was awarded an R21 grant to study mechanisms for evasion of host innate immunity by T. vaginalis. T. vaginalis causes one of the most common non-viral sexually transmitted infections in women. Trichomoniasis has been linked to increased incidence of HIV-1 transmission, pre-term delivery, low birth weight, cervical cancer and vaginitis. The molecular pathways of inflammatory and immune responses to T. vaginalis are poorly understood. In collaboration with scientists at Sunny New York and Yale, who have purified the T. vaginalis lipophosphoglycan (LPG), the main cell surface glycoconjugate of the parasite, we have begun to dissect host-parasite interactions at the molecular level (Infection and Immunity 2006).
- The Laboratory of Genital Tract Biology obtained a new research grant from the Contraceptive Research and Development Program (CONRAD) to study microbicide-induced immunoinflammatory responses in microflora colonized genital tract epithelia. Another CONRAD-sponsored study will evaluate vaginal cytokines in women after microbicide product use. These studies identify molecular mechanisms underlying vaginal microbicide interactions with the mucosal immune system and aim at discovery of inflammatory markers that can predict the level of mucosal toxicity of vaginal products in clinical trials.
- The Lab was awarded, for a second time, accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists, remaining the flagship for standardization of cytokine testing in human vaginal secretions. The cytokine research tools and expertise developed by Dr. Fichorova and the Laboratory have become a resource sought by scientists in other interdisciplinary areas of research.
- Dr. Fichorova was awarded a contract to develop the technology and assess cytokine profiles for a nation-wide NIH study led by Dr. Alan Leviton at Children’s Hospital, with the challenging goal to identify molecular antecedents of neurologic complications in extremely low gestational age neonates.
- Dr. Fichorova continued to chair an NIH advisory panel and an international working group to the Microbicide Quality Assurance Program for validation of cytokines as biomarkers of vaginal health. Recently Dr. Fichorova was invited to co-chair a working group of the NIH/NIAID Mucosal Immunity Development Team.
EDUCATIONAL MISSION
The Lab hosted the 2006 Explorations Program sponsored by the HMS Office for Diversity and Community Partnership (Minority Faculty Development Program, K-12 Programs) and the Biomedical Science Careers Program for middle school students. In 2006 the Lab hosted Teresa Kiama, a PhD student at Ghent University, Belgium who is from Kenya and is now back in Nairobi, conducting a study to assess cytokine levels in relation to genital viral shedding of HIV-1 in a sub-urban Kenian population. Dr. Fichorova has been mentoring a postdoctoral research fellow, Dr. Radiana Trifonova who is training in vaginal immunology and conducting research on vaginal microbicides. Dr. Trifonova has first-authored two papers and co-authored another. Her work was also distinguished by an oral presentation and a full scholarship awarded by the International Conference Microbicides 2006. Last year the Laboratory welcomed a new research technical assistant, Dr. Rosaria Rita Siervo Sassi, who holds an MD and specialty in OB/GYN from Brazil and is doing research while preparing for medical board exams. Dr. Sassi replaced Jenna-Malia Pasicznyk, who spent 1½ years in the laboratory, co-authored two papers (one published and one submitted) and received a scholarship to study in the Nursing Program at Simmons College.
PARTNERS TEAM PROJECTS
Dr. Fichorova led collaboration with Colgan’s Lab at the Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury and the BWH Department of Pathology. Collaboration with the BWH Department of Pathology and OB/GYN Epidemiology Division resulted in the award of a developmental project by the Ovarian Cancer SPORE to investigate biological mechanisms underlying the link between talc use in genital hygiene, immune dysregulation at the vaginal mucosal interface and risk of ovarian cancer. Dr. Fichorova has also established collaboration with Dr. Ondredonk at the Channing Laboratory to study epithelial interactions with the normal vaginal microflora in the context of two CONRAD and NIH funded projects.
GOALS
We plan to expand our basic research on vaginal mucosal immunity and continue performing translational research toward validation of biochemical markers of vaginal inflammation and immune dysfunction. We will also continue offering educational experience to premedical students, HMS students and OB/GYN residents and fellows.
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