Le, Thu H.
Primary Appointment
Professor of Medicine, Medicine: Nephrology
Education
- Fellowship, , Duke University Medical Center
- MD, , George Washington University
- Residency, , Duke University
Contact Information
UVA Division of Nephrology & CIIR
PO Box 800133
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Telephone: 434-924-2187
Email: thl4t@virginia.edu
Website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/browse/collection/40454872/?sort=date&direction=ascending
Research Interests
Genes that regulate progression of kidney disease and its cardiovascular effects.
Research Description
The primary focus of my laboratory is on genetic susceptibility to vascular injury and chronic kidney disease. We use mouse models of human diseases, and take advantage of naturally occurring strain differences in susceptibility to disease for gene mapping, with the goal of candidate gene identification and validation. For example, using a genetic sensitizer in a mouse model of renal vascular injury, we recently identified Gstm1 gene as a candidate modifier gene that regulates susceptibility to vascular injury. Through in vitro functional characterization, we uncovered that Gstm1 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, likely through its role in handling oxidative stress. Our ultimate goal is to perform translational studies to test the effects of genetic variants of our candidate genes in human disease in carefully selected human cohorts.