COM Phoenix Child Health

Dr. Currier Thomas serves as the Director of the Translational Neurotrauma and Neurochemistry Laboratory at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Hailing from Kentucky, she embarked on her academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Biotechnology in 1999 from the University of Kentucky. She continued to deepen her expertise by earning a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Neurobiology in 2008 from the same institution. Following her doctoral studies, Dr. Thomas further honed her skills through a postdoctoral fellowship at the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center at the University of Kentucky. In her distinguished career, Dr. Thomas has dedicated herself to advancing the understanding of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Her research encompasses a comprehensive examination of structural, functional, and molecular processes in the brain, with a special focus on synaptogenesis and post-injury neuroplasticity. This focus is pivotal in deciphering the mechanisms of circuit reorganization that occur over time post-TBI, contributing to chronic deficits and symptoms. In her quest to address these challenges, Dr. Thomas rigorously tests various pharmacological and rehabilitative strategies to mitigate long-term deficits caused by TBI that can guide and improve clinical care. A significant and pioneering aspect of Dr. Thomas’s work is her investigation into the role of endocrine (hormonal) deficiencies in the aftermath of TBI. Her research in this area aims to unravel the underlying causes and develop effective treatments for post-traumatic neurological deficits. Notably, Dr. Thomas has been a trailblazer in including females in TBI research, publishing groundbreaking work on sex differences in neurotransmission and the sequelae of TBI pathophysiology. Dr. Thomas collaborates extensively with esteemed physicians and scientists from Phoenix Children's Hospital, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix VA Healthcare System, Arizona State University, and Midwestern University. Her collaborative approach not only advances the field of neurotrauma but also fosters a rich environment for scientific exchange and growth. Techniques include actively used in her lab include amperometry (electrochemistry) for real-time measurement of neurotransmission, region-specific protein and RNA quantification, histology/microscopy, and extensive behavioral testing. The following link will take you to a list of publications: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/theresa.thomas.1/bibliography/public/ Beyond her research, Dr. Thomas is deeply committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion. She has been instrumental in creating a supportive community through mentorship, networking, professional development, and educational initiatives in her laboratory, department, university, and the broader Phoenix Valley. Her engagement extends nationally, particularly through her involvement with the National Neurotrauma Society. In her role as Co-Chair of the Department of Child Health’s Physician-scientist Faculty Mentor-Mentee Program in its inaugural year, and as a member of the Executive Committee for Women in Medicine and Science since 2018, Dr. Thomas has played a crucial role in shaping the future of medical science. Furthermore, she initiated and currently chairs the National Neurotrauma Society’s Mentor-Mentee Program, established in 2021. This program boasts 70 matched mentees across several countries, reflecting the far-reaching impact of her commitment to mentorship.

Vlad Kalinichenko, MD, PhD is a senior investigator with a long-standing interest in transcriptional regulation of lung development and lung injury/repair. His research interests include perinatal and adult pulmonary disorders, such as Alveolar Capillary Dysplasia with Misalignment of Pulmonary Veins (ACDMPV), Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), Acute Lung Injury (ALI), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Throughout his research career, Dr. Kalinichenko was interested in transcriptional regulation of lung diseases by various Forkhead Box (FOX) transcription factors. His lab generated mouse models with loss-of-function and gain-of-function of FOXM1, FOXF1 and FOXF2 and pioneered research on the role of these proteins in the lung. These unique mouse models enabled the lab to discover novel signaling, immune and transcriptional mechanisms critical for pulmonary inflammation, cellular proliferation, apoptosis and endothelial barrier function. His laboratory was involved in discovery and characterization of multiple FOXF1 mutations in ACDMPV patients and generated clinically relevant mouse models of ACDMPV by placing human FOXF1 mutations into the endogenous mouse Foxf1 gene locus. Dr. Kalinichenko has been very active in generation and distribution of >30 transgenic and knockout mice to investigators in scientific research community. His lab has also developed several nanoparticle delivery systems for the in vivo targeting of pulmonary endothelial cells with high efficiency and precision and discovered RCM-1 and TanFe small molecule compounds that specifically target FOX transcription factors in lung diseases. Recently, his lab used embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to generate bioengineered lung tissue which contains airways, alveoli and vasculature for potential applications in lung regenerative medicine. These innovative technologies are currently at different stages of preclinical testing and regulatory approvals for clinical use. The main areas of research include: - Generation of lung tissue from ESCs and iPSCs using interspecies chimeras. - Directed differentiation of ESCs/iPSCs into endothelial cell lineages. - Embryonic and postnatal development of pulmonary vasculature. - Lung regeneration in perinatal and adult pulmonary diseases. - Pulmonary inflammation and molecular mechanisms critical for innate immune responses. - Development of nanoparticle delivery systems to target endothelial cells for gene therapy. The long-term goal of the laboratory is to develop new therapies for BPD, ACDMPV and other perinatal lung diseases.

Dr. Lifshitz is the Director of the Translational Neurotrauma Research Program through the College of Medicine - Phoenix, which brings together clinicians and scientists as faculty to address the pathophysiology and recovery from animal models of acquired neurological injury (e.g. stroke, hemorrhage, concussion). These studies are guided by gaps in clinical knowledge to empower healthcare providers to improve quality of life for survivors. To this end, they use public databases, biorepositories, and animal models to address questions across the lifespan. Specific strengths include inflammation, rehabilitation, puberty, sleep, and neuronal morphology.