Winner of the “best original research paper published in AJP-Lung between 2012-2014 by a junior author”

The Editor of the American Journal of Physiology-Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, solicited nominations for the “best original research paper published in AJP-Lung between 2012-2014 by a junior author” (Assistant Professor, Instructor, Post-doctoral fellow or graduate student.)

We received five nominations and in each case the paper and nominee were truly outstanding.  The selection was made by secret ballot:  All of the Associate Editors of AJP-Lung read the papers and letters of nominations and ranked each nominee from the scale of one (perfect to five.)

The 2015 winner is Dr. Praveen Mannam (nominated by Dr. Patty Lee, from the Pulmonary Division of Yale University) for his paper:

MKK3 regulates mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy in sepsis-induced

lung injury.   Mannam P et al.  Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2014 Apr 1;306(7):L604-19. doi: 10.1152/ajplung.00272.2013. Epub 2014 Jan 31.

In his paper, Praveen identified for the first time MKK3 as a potential therapeutic target in sepsis. He used complementary murine models of sepsis (LPS and cecal ligation puncture) and confirmed his findings in circulating cells from septic patients to demonstrate that the deleterious effect of over-activated MKK3 in sepsis is through its effects on mitochondrial protein Pink1. Prior to these studies, a MKK3-mitochondria link had not been described and Pink1 had been reported primarily in neuronal tissue. These studies have led to partnerships with Yale Small Molecule Center and Evotec, a drug-discovery company, which have yielded first-in-class MKK3 small molecule inhibitors that Praveen is now in the process of testing in experimental sepsis models.  Praveen is currently an Assistant Professor in the Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine at Yale University

This article is one of our featured articles in the AJP-Lung Website (http://ajplung.physiology.org)

and was also chosen for inclusion by the APS Publications committee in APSselect http://apsselect.physiology.org/archives-2014#january-february; May 2014 issue)

Dr. Mannam will receive $500 and a certificate of appreciation at the EB 2015 meeting following the Comroe Lecture (Tuesday, March 31 at 10:30 AM Room 210A)