Charles N. Serhan

Gelman Professor, HMS

Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

Professor, Department of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity, HSDM

Harvard Institutes of Medicine Building, Room 829

77 Avenue Louis Pasteur

Boston, MA 02115
Tel: (617) 525-5001
Fax: (617) 525-7962
Email: cnserhan@zeus.bwh.harvard.edu
Web Page: The Serhan Lab Page
6 postdoctoral fellows, 1 assistant professor, 1 instructor

Research in the Serhan laboratory focuses on structural elucidation of bioactive small molecules that regulate acute inflammation and its natural resolution. 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.

References:

Xu Z-Z, Zhang L, Liu T, Park J-Y, Berta T, Yang R, Serhan CN, Ji R-R. Resolvins RvE1 and RvD1 attenuate inflammatory pain via central and peripheral actions. Nat Med. 2010; Epub April 11; doi:10.1038/nm.2123.
Spite M, Norling LV, Summers L, Yang R, Cooper D, Petasis NA, Flower RJ, Perretti M, Serhan CN. Resolvin D2 is a potent regulator of leukocytes and controls microbial sepsis. Nature 2009; 461:1287-91.
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). A concise review.
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.

BBS webpage updated 5/25/2010