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| Degrees |
MD - 1982 |
| Bio |
Dr. Mason’s research endeavors center around pulmonary host defenses against infection, specifically infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the impact of alcohol consumption during that infection. Current research focuses on alcohol-induced lung CD4+ lymphocyte abnormalities during murine tuberculous infection. She is a faculty member in the LSUHSC Alcohol Research Center Biomedical Alcohol Research Training Program, an institutional NRSA research training grant. Active collaborations with other investigators are also in place, in which investigations with M. tuberculosis study the means by which the organism may override host defense mechanisms, thereby inducing lymphocyte dysfunction. Preclinical tuberculosis vaccine studies are also being performed in collaborative ventures. |
| Research Interests |
Mechanisms of pulmonary host defense against infections |
| Selected Publications |
Happel KI, Lockhart E, Mason CM, Porretta E, Keoshkerian E, Odden AR, Nelson S, Ramsay AJ. Pulmonary IL-23 gene delivery increases local T cell immunity and controls growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lungs. Infect Immun 73:5782, 2005. Zea AH, Culotta K, Ali J, Mason C, Park H, Zabeleta J, Garcia LF, Ochoa AC. Decreased expression of CD3 and NF-B in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB): potential mechanisms and reversibility with treatment. J Infect Dis 194:1385-1393, 2006. Mason C, Porretta E, Zhang P, Nelson S. CD4+CD25+TGF--producing T cells are present in the lung in murine tuberculosis and may regulate the host inflammatory response. Clin Exp Immunol 148:537-545, 2007. (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2007.03371.x) Ramirez J, Mason C, Ali J. Use of mefloquine in multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease in an HIV-negative patient. Curr Ther Res 68:421-429, 2007. Aujla SJ, Chan YR, Zheng M, Fei M, Askew DJ, Pociask DA, Reinhart TA, McAllister F, Edeal J, Gaus K, Husain S, Kreindler JL, Dubin PJ, Pilewski JM, Myerburg MM, Mason CM, Iwakura Y, Kolls JK. IL-22 mediates mucosal host defense against gram negative bacterial pneumonia. Nat Med 14:275-281, 2008 (advance online, doi:10.1038/nm1710). Ramirez J, Mason C, Ali J. Case of the Month: Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease: management options in HIV-negative patients. In press, Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society, 2008. |
