Charles N. Serhan

Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, HSDM
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Director, Center for Experimental Therapeutics and Reperfusion Injury
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Tel: (617) 732-8822
Fax: (617) 582-6141
Email: cnserhan@zeus.bwh.harvard.edu
Web Page: The Serhan Lab Page
6 postdoctoral fellows, 1 assistant professor, 2 students

Research in the Serhan laboratory focuses on structural elucidation of bioactive small molecules of interest in acute inflammation. Our overall mission is “To identify novel mediators, pathways, and cellular targets critical in regulating and promoting resolution of inflammation and their relation to human disease.” Recently our studies 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, as well as their endogenous aspirin-triggered forms that dampen inflammatory responses. We have also designed novel therapeutic approaches using some of these structures as biotemplates. New therapeutic approaches built with the knowledge of these biochemical signaling pathways could be more potent and better tolerated since they are based on structures of endogenous natural compounds. Also, since the central nervous system is rich in DHA, the novel neuroprotectins may have a physiological role in protecting neural tissues from inflammation-initiated injury.

References:

• Serhan CN, Yacoubian S, Yang R. Anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediators. In: Abbas AK, Galli SJ, Howley PM, eds. Annu Rev Pathol Mech Dis. 2008; 3:279-312.
• Schwab JM, Chiang N, Arita M, Serhan CN. Resolvin E1 and protectin D1 activate inflammation-resolution programmes. Nature 2007; 447:869-74.
• Serhan CN, Chiang N, Van Dyke TE. Resolving inflammation: dual anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution lipid mediators. Nat Rev Immunol. 2008; 8:249-61 (issue cover).
• Serhan CN, Yang R, Martinod K, Kasuga K, Pillai PS, Porter TF, Oh SF, Spite M. Maresins: novel macrophage mediators with potent anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving actions. J Exp Med. 2009; 206:15-23.