Dr. Miller’s research focuses on lung inflammation and the role of the lung as an inflammatory organ. The studies in his laboratory involve both acute and chronic disorders that impact the lung.

His group has discovered that the lungs synthesize and release an important immune system messenger, called macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), during severe illness. This affects cardiac and circulatory function and other vital organs, causing dysfunction and leading to multi-organ failure. They are closely studying the role of MIF at the molecular level with the goal of identifying new ways to control the inflammatory response to prevent or treat lung inflammation and injury and death associated with disease.
 
In particular, they are studying the role of this important molecule in 1) severe sepsis, a major inflammatory response to infection; 2) pulmonary hypertension, a condition characterized by vascular growth and proliferation, leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular failure and death. Their studies examine the inflammatory responses involved in the development and progression of the disease. and 3) acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), a leading cause of death in the United States.

Sepsis

Severe sepsis is a major inflammatory response to infection that kills almost a quarter of a million hospitalized patients in the United States each year. Recently, Dr. Miller and his colleagues have found that lung injury caused by severe sepsis induces detrimental changes in other organs, particularly the heart. The group has discovered that during infection the lungs synthesize and release MIF, which affects cardiac and circulatory function and other vital organs, causing dysfunction and leading to multi-organ failure. 

Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a condition characterized by vascular growth and proliferation, leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, pulmonary arterial pressure, right ventricular failure and death. PH can be idiopathic or associated with other conditions, including connective tissue diseases, HIV infection, and portal hypertension. PH demonstrates rapid deterioration after diagnosis, with an average survival time for primary pulmonary hypertension only 2.8 years, and an estimated 5 year survival rate of between 21-34%. Their studies are examining the inflammatory responses involved in the development and progression of the disease.

Acute myocardial infarction

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and 71% of heart disease is related to coronary artery disease. Heart attacks (acute myocardial infarction) occur in 1.2 million people in the United States each year. Although the mortality from myocardial infarction has been steadily decreasing, the number of surviving patients developing congestive heart failure, fatal arrhythmias and ventricular aneurism formation related to ischemic coronary disease is increasing. Ischemic stress induces an inflammatory response, but excessive inflammation may lead to cell apoptosis and necrosis and prevents myocardial remodeling. Their studies in this area focus on therapeutic strategies to minimize myocardial necrosis and apoptosis and optimize cardiac repair following myocardial infarction. Therefore, careful control of the inflammatory response could potentially improve the cardiac function after myocardial infarction.