Michael C. Braun, M.D.

1990, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

UT-Houston Medical School
Pediatric Nephrology

UT-Houston Institute of Molecular Medicine

Research Interests: Immune mediated renal disease; glomerulonephritis; complement biology; anaphylatoxins; adaptive immunity; factor H deficneicy; lupus nephritis

The research in my laboratory is focused on the interaction of the complement system and adaptive immunity as it relates to immune mediated renal disease. Our primary interest is in defining the role of the anaphylatoxins, C3a and C5a, in murine disease models. Using Factor H deficient mice and MURL/LRP mice, which spontaneously develop lethal renal disease, we are defining the molecular mechanisms by C3a and C5a modulate the autoimmune process.

The student tutorial in my laboratory would provide experience in human and murine pathology including histologic and immuno-histologic methods, cellular immunology including FACS analysis, micro-array studies, and functional analysis of both T-cell and APC responses by intra-cellular cytokine staining, quantitative RT-PCR, and ELISA techniques. In addition, the student would gain a fundamental understanding of the role of complement biology and innate immunity.

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Yo Y, Braun MC, Barisoni L, Mobraraki H, Lu H, Shrivastav S, Owens J, Kopp JB (2003) Anti-mouse mesangial cell serum induces acute glomulonephropathy in mice. Nephron Exp Nephrol 93(3):92.

McDowell MA, Marovich M, Lira R, Braun M, Sacks D (2002) Leishmania priming of human dendritic cells for CD40 ligand-induced interleukin-12p70 secretion is strain and species dependent. Infect Immun 70(8):3994.

Braun MC, Ming JW, Lahey E, Rabin R, Kelsall BL (2001) Activation of the chemoattractant receptor FPR by HIF deri ed peptides suppresses IL-12 production by human monocytes. Blood 91(11):3009.

Braun MC, Lahey E, Kelsall BL (2000) Selective suppression of IL-12 production by chemoattractants. J Immunol 164(6):3009.

Program Affiliation:
Program in Immunology