Hawiger to deliver fall’s first Discovery Lecture
![Jacek Hawiger, M.D., Ph.D.](https://vumc-reporter.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/Hawiger42.jpg)
Jacek Hawiger, M.D., Ph.D.
![](https://vumc-reporter.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/Discover_Lecture_Series_lo_copy.jpg)
Hawiger's lecture, “The Joy of Crossing Borders,” is at 4 p.m. in 208 Light Hall.
Hawiger and his colleagues have discovered a series of cell-penetrating proteins that could represent potential therapies for inflammatory conditions.
One of these, a nuclear import inhibitor, has been applied to experimental models of acute lung inflammation, type 1 diabetes and atherosclerosis. Another class of cell-penetrating proteins, the “suppressors of cytokine signaling 1 and 3” (SOCS1 and SOCS3), looks promising as therapies for liver inflammation, and potentially, sepsis and preterm birth.
The investigators are working to move these discoveries into clinical trials.
Hawiger's research has been recognized by the Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation Award, a Special Recognition Award from the American Heart Association, and the Ernest W. Goodpasture Award from VUMC.
His lecture is sponsored by the Vanderbilt Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs.
For a complete schedule of the Discovery Lecture series and archived video of previous lectures, go to www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/discoveryseries.