Internal Medicine
333 Cedar Street
Room LMP-1072
P.O. Box 208056
New Haven, CT 06520-8056
Professor and Chair of Laboratory Medicine
Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Director, Immunology, Molecular Diagnostics and Flow Cytometry Laboratories
Director, Molecular Diagnostics
Director, Hematopathology Fellowship
Director, Immunohematology Research Training Program
Hematology
Dr. Smith's research interests fall into two related areas. First, the laboratory investigates the biology of hematopoietic cell adhesive interactions, especially platelet-leukocyte functional interdependency. The receptor-ligand pairs involved, the signal transduction mechanisms employed and the resultant alterations in functional cell phenotype are explored. A major interest in relating basic biological events to human pathophysiology has led the laboratory into studying the mechanisms and consequences of platelet activation and platelet-leukocyte conjugate formation during extracorporeal circulation, pre-eclampsia, tumor metastasis, and in hematologic disorders such as TTP and sickle cell disease. In the case of extracorporeal circulation, it seems clear that the complement system plays a major role in this process and hence translational research at the basic-clinical interface in the field of specific complement component blockade represents an ongoing direction. The importance of the subset of platelets most recently released from the circulation ("reticulated platelets") in these processes is explored through translational work in the area of platelet kinetic diagnostics in patients with thrombotic and hemostatic disorders.
The second major area of interest in the laboratory is in understanding the immunology of stem cell transplantation, especially in the lymphoproliferative disorders. Lymphocyte interaction with endothelium and with accessory cells and the clonal recapitulation of immune ontogeny are areas of current investigation. Clinical translational research in these areas is also undertaken under the auspices of the laboratory with interest in understanding lymphomogenesis post-transplant.
Dr. Smith is boarded in Hematopathology and also in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology. His clinical work encompases all of these areas with the major current emphasis on advanced diagnostic hematopathology (molecular diagnostics, flow cytometry). He carries out pathology interpretative clinical work and sees adult hematology/oncology patients through the Yale Medical Group Yale Faculty Practice.
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Last updated
7/10/08
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