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Alix Ashare, MD, PhD

Title(s)
Associate Professor of Medicine
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

Department(s)
Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology

Education
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, MD 1999
University of Iowa College of Medicine, PhD 2008

Programs
Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Programs

Websites
https://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/ashare/

Academic Analytics
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Contact Information

1 Medical Center Dr
Lebanon NH 03756

Office: 508E Borwell
Phone: 603-650-5533
Fax: 603-650-0580
Email: Alix.Ashare@dartmouth.edu


Professional Interests

My research focuses on the role of lung macrophages in the development of inflammatory lung diseases. Currently my laboratory is investigating the potential mechanisms of increased lung inflammation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and asthma, with an emphasis on the investigation of impaired alveolar macrophage function in the patient populations.

A major focus of my laboratory is the investigation of how the metabolic state of lung macrophages impacts their phenotype and function and how these changes in the immune cell may contribute to chronic inflammation in CF and asthma. We are also interested in how new medication aimed at treating the underlying defect in CF impact macrophage populations. We are currently funded by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to investigate the metabolic state and inflammatory profile of macrophages isolated from CF patients treated with highly effective modulator therapy. Another area of focus involves studying the interaction between bacterial pathogens and host innate immune cells in the CF lung.

Rotations and Thesis Projects

Project 1: One potential project involves looking at the effects of outer membrane vesicles released by bacteria on the inflammatory response of human macrophages. This project will compare different strains of bacteria as well as treatment with various antibiotics to investigate the impact on the macrophage inflammatory response.

Project 2: This project involves looking at the effect of chronic e-cigarette exposure on lipid homeostasis in lung macrophages.

Grant Information

Macrophage Pathogen Interactions in Regional CF Lung Inflammation (NIH/NHLBI)

The Impact of CFTR Modulator Treatment on CF Lung Macrophage Inflammation (CF Foundation)

The Role of Lung Macrophage Metabolic State in CF Lung Inflammation (CF Foundation)

Courses Taught

CF: From Bedside and Bench, and Back Again
Scientific Basis of Medicine: Respiratory Section

Biography

Dr. Ashare received her B.S. from Vanderbilt University in 1994, her M.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1999, and her Ph.D. in Translational Biomedicine from the University of Iowa in 2008. Following Medical School, she completed an Internal Medicine Residency and Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 2002 and 2005, respectively. In 2005, she joined the faculty at the University of Iowa. She moved her clinical and research program to Dartmouth in 2009.


Selected Publications

 

P. aeruginosa tRNA-fMet halves secreted in outer membrane vesicles suppress lung inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis.
Li Z, Barnaby R, Nymon AB, Roche C, Koeppen K, Ashare A, Hogan DA, Gerber SA, Taatjes DJ, Hampton TH, Stanton BA
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2024 Mar 5; doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00018.2024. Epub 2024 Mar 5.
PMID: 38440830

P. aeruginosa tRNA-fMet halves secreted in outer membrane vesicles suppress lung inflammation in Cystic Fibrosis.
Li Z, Barnaby R, Nymon A, Roche C, Koeppen K, Ashare A, Hogan DA, Gerber SA, Taatjes DJ, Hampton TH, Stanton BA
bioRxiv. 2024 Feb 3; pii: 2024.02.03.578737. doi: 10.1101/2024.02.03.578737. Epub 2024 Feb 3.
PMID: 38352468

Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 Convalescent Patients' Serological Repertoire Reveals High Prevalence of Iso-RBD Antibodies.
Curtis NC, Shin S, Hederman AP, Connor RI, Wieland-Alter WF, Ionov S, Boylston J, Rose J, Sakharkar M, Dorman DB, Dessaint JA, Gwilt LL, Crowley AR, Feldman J, Hauser BM, Schmidt AG, Ashare A, Walker LM, Wright PF, Ackerman ME, Lee J
bioRxiv. 2023 Sep 11; pii: 2023.09.08.556349. doi: 10.1101/2023.09.08.556349. Epub 2023 Sep 11.
PMID: 37745524

Comparative effects of CFTR modulators on phagocytic, metabolic and inflammatory profiles of CF and nonCF macrophages.
Aridgides DS, Mellinger DL, Gwilt LL, Hampton TH, Mould DL, Hogan DA, Ashare A
Sci Rep. 2023 Jul 25;13(1):11995. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-38300-9. Epub 2023 Jul 25.
PMID: 37491532

Mrs4 loss of function in fungi during adaptation to the cystic fibrosis lung.
Murante D, Demers EG, Kurbessoian T, Ruzic M, Ashare A, Stajich JE, Hogan DA
mBio. 2023 Aug 31;14(4):e0117123. doi: 10.1128/mbio.01171-23. Epub 2023 Jul 11.
PMID: 37432019

Mrs4 loss of function in fungi during adaptation to the cystic fibrosis lung.
Murante D, Demers EG, Kurbessoian T, Ruzic M, Ashare A, Stajich JE, Hogan DA
bioRxiv. 2023 Apr 6; pii: 2023.04.05.535776. doi: 10.1101/2023.04.05.535776. Epub 2023 Apr 6.
PMID: 37066389

The Impact of Chronic Electronic Cigarette Use on Alveolar Macrophage Lipid Content: Case Report.
Ruttenberg M, Armstrong D, Mellinger D, Carroll J, Ashare A
Arch Clin Med Case Rep. 2022;6(5):689-692. doi: 10.26502/acmcr.96550545. Epub 2022 Oct 14.
PMID: 36465982

ScRNA-seq expression of IFI27 and APOC2 identifies four alveolar macrophage superclusters in healthy BALF.
Li X, Kolling FW, Aridgides D, Mellinger D, Ashare A, Jakubzick CV
Life Sci Alliance. 2022 Nov;5(11) doi: 10.26508/lsa.202201458. Epub 2022 Jul 12.
PMID: 35820705

Metabolic basis for the evolution of a common pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa variant.
Mould DL, Stevanovic M, Ashare A, Schultz D, Hogan DA
Elife. 2022 May 3;11 doi: 10.7554/eLife.76555. Epub 2022 May 3.
PMID: 35502894

Model Systems to Study the Chronic, Polymicrobial Infections in Cystic Fibrosis: Current Approaches and Exploring Future Directions.
O'Toole GA, Crabbe A, Kummerli R, LiPuma JJ, Bomberger JM, Davies JC, Limoli D, Phelan VV, Bliska JB, DePas WH, Dietrich LE, Hampton TH, Hunter R, Khursigara CM, Price-Whelan A, Ashare A, Cramer RA, Goldberg JB, Harrison F, Hogan DA, Henson MA, Madden DR, Mayers JR, Nadell C, Newman D, Prince A, Rivett DW, Schwartzman JD, Schultz D, Sheppard DC, Smyth AR, Spero MA, Stanton BA, Turner PE, van der Gast C, Whelan FJ, Whitaker R, Whiteson K
mBio. 2021 Oct 26;12(5):e0176321. doi: 10.1128/mBio.01763-21. Epub 2021 Sep 21.
PMID: 34544277

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