Harvard University | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences | Harvard Medical School | Division of Medical Sciences

BBS Faculty Member - Charles Serhan

Faculty Listing

Charles Serhan

Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, HSDM

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Building for Transformative Medicine, Suite 3-012
60 Fenwood Road
Boston, MA 02115
Tel: 617-525-5001
Fax: 617-525-5017
Email: cnserhan@zeus.bwh.harvard.edu
Lab Members: 8 postdoctoral fellows, 1 assistant professor, 1 instructor
Visit my lab page here.

Research in the Serhan laboratory focuses on structural elucidation of bioactive small molecules that activate the resolution of acute inflammation. Our overall mission is “To identify novel mediators, pathways, and cellular targets critical in promoting resolution of inflammation and reperfusion tissue injury and their relation to human disease.” Our studies currently focus on structural elucidation of novel molecules and pathways that serve as pro-resolving and/or endogenous anti-inflammatory chemical signals.

We elucidated several new families of lipid-derived, local-acting chemical mediators, coined the Resolvins and Protectins, and most recently Maresins, that stimulate resolution of inflammatory responses. We also designed novel therapeutic approaches using these structures as biotemplates. New therapeutic approaches built with the knowledge of these signaling pathways could be more potent, selective and better tolerated since they are based on structures naturally evolved in these processes. Several of these new designer therapeutics have already been shown to be effective in human disease.

Last Update: 11/15/2017

Publications

For a complete listing of publications click here.

Serhan CN. Pro-resolving lipid mediators are leads for resolution physiology. Nature 2014; 510:92-101.

Dalli J, Chiang N, Serhan CN. Elucidation of novel 13-series resolvins that increase with atorvastatin and clear infections. Nat Med. 2015; Epub 8/3/15; doi: 10.1038/nm.3911.

Chiang N, Dalli J, Colas RA, Serhan CN. Identification of resolvin D2 receptor mediating resolution of infections and organ protection. J Exp Med. 2015; 212:1203-17.

Dalli J, Chiang N, Serhan CN. Identification of 14-series sulfido-conjugated mediators that promote resolution of infection and organ protection. Proc Natl Acad Sci. USA 2014; 111:E4753-61.