Dr. Richard Bodnar is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh in the Department of Pathology and a faculty member of the Pittsburgh VA hospital. He received a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2002. He was also the recipient of a BS in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of Pittsburgh, where he returned to do postdoctoral work and eventually join the faculty.
Dr. Bodnar's current research interests center on identifying the signaling pathways that mediate regression of the capillary network during wound healing. The goal is to propose novel therapies for the treatment of diseases caused by pathological vascularization. The lab is also investigating the role pericytes play in regulating endothelial cell phenotype mediating vessel maturation and investigates the regulation of angiogenesis, specifically aiming to identify the resident molecules that can be used to improve the wound healing process. Other projects include investigating role chemokines in particular platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin play in the pathophysiology of febrile nonhaemolytic transfusion reactions and transfusion related acute lung injury. The lab is also look at the use of platelet rich plasma for enhanced engraftment of engineered vascular grafts.
Among the honors that Dr. Bodnar has received are the Klaus R. Unna Award in 2002 for outstanding research accomplishment as a graduate student , a National Institutes of Health F32 NRS Fellowship Award for 2003-2006 and a Department of Veterans Affairs MREP grant 2006-2009.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Richard J. Bodnar
Phone: (412) 624-9366
Email: rjb8@pitt.edu