Welcome to the Caradonna Lab

Our laboratory has recently changed research direction from studies on dUTP metabolism and base-excision repair to studies involving airway progenitor cell development. We have adopted an air-liquid interface model system to grow and differentiate airway cells derived from the nasal passages. These tissue cultures closely approximate developmental pathways that occur in the human body and are useful for studies on the effects of drugs, vitamins, supplements, and environmental toxins. One current project in the lab involves analyzing the effects of e-cigarettes and vaping on the homeostasis and repair capacity of these airway cells exposed to these products.