Dr. Gediminas Cepinskas

Sepsis/Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) is the body’s response to infectious (ie bacterial infection) or noninfectious (ie trauma, organ transplantation, burn) insult, resulting in multiple organ failure. Sepsis is the leading cause of death from infection worldwide.  Overwhelming activation of vascular endothelium and leukocytes are the key events contributing to sepsis/SIRS-induced injury and dysfunction of the affected organs.  My research focuses on the mechanisms of sepsis/SIRS-induced activation of neutrophilic leukocytes and organ-specific vascular endothelial cells with respect to generation of the oxidative/nitrosative/proteolytic stresses, production of inflammatory cytokines, up-regulation of the pro-adhesive phenotype, and subsequent changes in vascular permeability and recruitment of the inflammatory cells. Carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CORMs) are used as new treatment to counteract sepsis/SIRS-induced inflammatory response.