The overall interest of Dr. Haddad's laboratory is the effect of hypoxia (and hypercapnia) on cell function and development. Mammalian tissues are extremely sensitive to the stress of hypoxia and can only survive for relatively short periods of time. In particular, the laboratory is interested in the genetic and molecular mechanisms of cell death and cell survival in oxygen deprivation as well as the mechanisms of tolerance and susceptibility to low oxygen environment, especially in nerve cells and glia. Furthermore, we have also been interested in long term hypoxia and in the adaptation of cells and tissues to this stress, in the hope that we can learn enough from the tolerant/adapted cells and tissues to be able to manipulate sensitive tissues to become more tolerant and less likely to be injured during hypoxic stress.
Gabriel G. Haddad, M.D., is Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience, Vice Dean for Children’s Academic Programs and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego. He is also the Physician-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer at Rady Children’s Hospital – San Diego.