Areas of Interest
The Lawrence Lab studies a protein called plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1). Although years of research has established a clear role for PAI-1 in pulmonary fibrosis, the specific mechanisms in which PAI-1 drives fibrogenesis remains unknown. Our group recently discovered a novel interaction between PAI-1 and a protein called, SorLA in the fibrosing lung and found that PAI-1 requires SorLA to exert its fibrogenic effects. For my project, I am interrogating the mechanisms underlying the interactions between PAI-1 and SorLA and how this ultimately contributes to the progression pulmonary fibrosis.