and here:
Judith Hellman, MD
Associate Professor In Residence
M.D. or Ph.D. Institution: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Internship: Oregon Health Sciences University
Anesthesia Residency: Massachusetts General Hospital
Fellowship(s): Massachusetts General Hospital (Critical Care Medicine)
I am an Critical Care Anesthesiologist and I do basic science research on mechanisms of sepsis. My primary clinical commitment is as an attending physician in the Intensive Care Units at UCSF Medical Center. I attend in the ICU 6-8 weeks per year.
My research interest in sepsis is very closely linked to my clinical interest in intensive care medicine. My laboratory investigates the basic mechanisms by which interactions between microorganisms and the host innate immune system ultimately lead to shock and organ dysfunction in sepsis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are innate immune receptors that recognize components of microorganisms and are critical in generating early inflammatory responses to infections. We previously found that different TLR agonists are shed by bacteria into the blood in sepsis models, including endotoxin, a TLR4 agonist, and PAL and MLP, TLR2 agonists. Subsequently we found that PAL and other TLR2 agonists activate endothelial cells, modulate expression of coagulation pathway factors in vitro and in vivo, induce lung and myocardial inflammation, and cause pulmonary dysfunction. We are currently investigating the underlying mechanisms and functional significance of TLR2 activation in sepsis in vivo using infection and toxicity models, and in vitro using endothelial cells and macrophages. We are focused on the effects of TLR2 pathways on coagulopathy, on the microvascular circulation, and on the lung. Recently we have found that different TLR agonists profoundly modulate inflammatory effects of one another, and we are pursuing studies to try to understand the mechanisms that underlie these "TLR interactions".
Generally, people start with an 80% clinical commitment and buy their way out of some of that with grant money in order to spend less time in the ICU/OR and more time in the lab. Academic time begets more grants, which begets more academic time, and so on. If you're in a smaller department, where you can be a big fish, I'd bet you could negotiate for something less than an 80% commitment to start.
