Sean Colgan Lab

Sean Colgan Lab Staff

A common, but often underappreciated feature of tissue inflammation is the acidification of the inflammatory microenvironment. My research is focused on furthering our understanding of the mechanisms and impact of inflammatory acidosis in the context of inflammatory bowel disease. In our recent research, we have demonstrated that neutrophil transmigration results in significant acidification of the extracellular space and that intestinal epithelial cells cope with this inflammatory acidification through the upregulation of SLC26A3, which promotes pH homeostasis. We are currently actively researching the mechanisms involved in inflammatory acidification and the impact is has on both intestinal epithelial cell function and the microbiota.
Notable Press on Ian’s work:
https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/could-yogurt-in-diet-help-diagnose-inflammatory-
                                                      bowel-disease-in-the-future                                                   
Ian Cartwright, Ph.D                    https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-05/ru-eoc051421.php
Postdoctoral Fellow                       https://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.jsp?med_id=187337&from=search_list                                                                                                                                                                          
In the Colgan Lab, I research the interaction between autophagy, the intestinal epithelium, and the gut microbiota.  Previous genome-wide association studies have revealed that polymorphisms in autophagy genes confer increased susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis), and that this increased susceptibility is due in part to defects in intestinal epithelial homeostasis.  In addition, the gut microbiota and microbiota-derived metabolites have been shown to positively regulate the intestinal epithelium and to protect against intestinal inflammation.  My work focuses on better understanding these interactions so as to leverage this knowledge in the development of more effective treatments for inflammatory bowel disease.


Alexander Dowdell, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Fellow

Metabolites across multiple classes are involved in a complex, chemically-mediated crosstalk between the gut microbiota and host tissues. In the Colgan Laboratory I am working to delineate the role of gut microbial and host-derived small molecules in microbiota-host interactions and mucosal innate immunity in health and disease. In this we work to identify new bioactive microbiota-derived compounds and determine their contribution to intestinal homeostasis. In clarifying dysbiotic and inflammatory-induced shifts from intestinal homeostasis we hope to not only further understand the metabolism of disease, but also identify new and innovative therapies for IBD.

J Scott Lee, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Fellow

We are working on the design and chemical synthesis of novel proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for protein of interest selective degradation. Various PROTACs have been tested in vitro to monitor the degradation of our proteins of interest and their downstream effects. We are investigating potential therapeutic candidates for inflammatory bowel disease through selective protein degradation.

Alfredo Ornelas Sanchez, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Fellow

David Kitzenberg
MD, Ph.D Candidate

Creatine metabolism has a vital role in the cellular energetics of many tissues. In the intestine, it has been shown that proper creatine transport is important for maintaining intestinal barrier function, and that parts of the creatine pathway may be dysregulated in inflammatory bowel disease. My work focuses on understanding the role and regulation of creatine kinase in the intestinal epithelium.

The Hall lab works in close collaboration with the Colgan Lab due to our similar research focuses.  As a pediatric gastroenterologist, I am interested in the role of intestinal barrier and the mucosal environment on human disease.  We have focused on the function of the creatine transporter, a key regulator of energetics within the cell.  We have found that the creatine transporter is vital to intestinal epithelial barrier function and dysregulated in inflammatory bowel disease.  We continue to use a variety of in vitro and in vivo techniques to investigate the basic mechanism of epithelial function as well as working on translational research studies.

Caroline Hall, MD, Ph.D
Assistant Professor

The Kao lab is focused on the impact of purines on cell metabolism in the context of host-microbe interactions, primarily at mucosal surfaces. The lab also investigates the role of purines on bacterial stress responses and how changes in bacterial metabolism influence bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics.

Daniel Kao, MD, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

We are interested in examining the interplay between the innate immune system and heme regulated pathways in the GI tract, especially as it pertains to inflammatory bowel disease. 

Joseph Oniyah, MD
Assistant Professor

The Steiner lab works in close collaboration with the Colgan Lab due to our similar research focuses. As a gastroenterologist and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialist, I am interested in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of inflammation and fibrosis in IBD. We utilize many approaches to investigate these mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo. The ultimate end goal is to discover targets and develop new medical therapies for IBD patients.

Calen Steiner, MD, MS
Assistant Professor

          
Rosemary Callahan                    Sam Koch                                   Camila Hanson
Professional Research Assistant                  Professional Research Assistant                 Professional Research Assistant
Joseph Oniyah Lab                                      Calen Steiner Lab                                        Ian Cartwright Lab        

            
 Rachael Kostelecky                          Emily Murphy                                     Nichole Welch
 Professional Research Assistant                   Professional Research Assistant                  Senior Professional Research Assistant
 Sean Colgan Lab                                           Caroline Hall Lab                                          Sean Colgan Lab