Research

The main research emphasis of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine has been in the fields of sleep, asthma, and clinical procedures. New emphasis is being developed in environmental and occupational respiratory research, and in collaborating with basic scientists to identify determinants of susceptibility to respiratory diseases.

The Division participates in the “Asthma Clinical Research Network (ACRN) and Childhood Asthma and Research Education (CARE) ” In this program, Dr. Craig works with Dr. Vernon Chinchilli of Biostatistics who supervises the Data Coordination Center of this six center cooperative network sponsored by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. This has been a great stimulus for the continued development of an Asthma Center at Penn State.

Rebecca Bascom, M.D., M.P.H.

Dr. Bascom’s research centers on the mechanisms and markers of differential sensitivity to common environmental irritants. She serves on the Environmental Health Committee of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, and on the Epidemiology – 3 study section of the National Institute of Health.

Timothy J. Craig, D.O.

Dr. Craig continues to focus on asthma, rhinitis and sleep. He is a member of the Asthma Center Research Network (ACRN) and Children’s Asthma Research and Education (CARE). These are research networks of the National Institute of Health which perform clinical research on adults and children respectively, with the diagnose of asthma. He has initiated research in the areas of atopic dermatitis, sleep and rhinitis. Multiple abstracts and publications have been published on the topic of how nasal congestion affects sleep quality and daytime somnolence.

Dr. Craig has been appointed Vice President to the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine and the American Osteopathic College of Allergy. Chairman positions are held in the Occupations Committee of the American Association of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology and Derry Township Municipal Authority. He has been appointed to the Pennsylvania Allergy and Asthma Association and is President elect. Lastly, he serves on the editorial staff of the Journal of American Osteopathic Association and is an ad hoc reviewer for multiple journals and protocol reviewer for the National Institutes of Health.

Virginia A. Imadojemu, M.D., M.Sc.

Dr. Imadojemu’s major research interest is related to the interplay between the sympathetic nervous system and obstructive sleep apnea and the functional and physiologic consequences of changes of sympathetic outflow during sleep-disordered breathing. Additional research interests are related to the effect of obstructive sleep apnea on chemoreceptor function, and mechanisms of circulatory control in humans. Dr. Imadojemu’s current research projects focus on the responses of the muscle sympathetic nerve activity, arterial pressure and ventilation to acute hypoxia in patients with sleep apnea versus non-apneic controls and the impact of effective CPAP therapy on these responses. Dr. Imadojemu is also currently investigating blood flow responses in obstructive sleep apnea versus control and the impact of CPAP therapy. An additional project of Dr. Imadojemu’s focuses on the magnitude of the contribution of the myogenic reflex in control of the circulation in humans.

Dr. Imadojemu’s clinical interest is in sleep disorders with particular focus on sleep-disordered breathing.

Robert L. Vender, M.D.

Dr. Vender’s research interests include implementation of active investigational research programs in cystic fibrosis with emphasis upon mechanisms of lung inflammation and development of clinical research projects in patients with Asthma and COPD with emphasis upon acute exacerbations. Dr. Vender also plans to develop collaborative interests in relation to diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary vascular disorders and plans to participate in multi-center industry-sponsored clinical trials in pulmonary and critical care diseases. In addition, Dr. Vender plans to expand his ongoing collaboration with the entire Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) clinical care team and provide assistance in implementation of home mechanical ventilation in patients with neuromuscular disorders.

Margaret M. Wojnar, M.D.

Research interests include ARDS and methods of ventilator support. Other areas include the metabolic responses of the critically ill, including protein turn over and the Insulin Growth Factor (IGF) system. Critical Care education and its application and integration across disciplines are also a dynamic area of her interests.