Grants per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
My research interests focus on the intermediate filaments (IFs), which are cytoskeletal structures that are crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of cells and tissues. In general, my lab focuses on the non-mechanical roles for the IF cytoskeleton such as how IFs regulate cell migration and cell survival, and the mechanisms by which IFs are a scaffold for stress-activated kinases and adaptor proteins. We investigated whether micromechanical forces, such as shear stress and stretch, had an effect on the keratin intermediate filament (IF) network in alveolar epithelial cells. We demonstrated that these forces resulted in altered keratin IF expression in alveolar epithelial type II (ATII) cells. This work impacted the field of intermediate filament biology as it describes a mechanism by which mechanical forces and signaling molecules, such as ROS, can lead to the disassembly of the keratin IF network. More recently, we have been examining vimentin, a type III intermediate filament, that acts as a scaffold for the assembly and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. The existing paradigm for NOD-like receptor (NLR) signaling is that NLR proteins interact with an apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC) and or a CARD domain to form a multi-protein complex called the “inflammasome”. We revealed that optimal localization and activity of the inflammasome requires the vimentin IF network, which suggests a broad biologic role for vimentin in the regulation of NLR proteins in the lung.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago
… → 1998
Research interests keywords
- Aging
- Cell Biology
- Cytoskeleton
- Immunology
- Interstitial Lung Disease
- Lung Cancer / Chest Cancer
- Lung Injury
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Core C: Mouse and Technology Core
Abdala-Valencia, H. (Co-Investigator), Lecuona, E. (Co-Investigator), Wu, Q. (Co-Investigator) & Ridge, K. M. (Other)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
9/17/24 → 7/31/29
Project: Research project
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Training Program in Lung Sciences
Ridge, K. M. (PD/PI), Sznajder, J. I. (PD/PI), Budinger, G. S. (Other), Gates, K. L. (Other) & Kalhan, R. (Other)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
7/1/24 → 6/30/29
Project: Research project
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Elucidating the Role of cGAS-STING in Lung Tissue Repair and Remodeling
Ridge, K. M. (PD/PI), Gottardi, C. J. (Co-Investigator), Winter, D. R. (Co-Investigator) & Ma, R. (Other)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
2/1/24 → 1/31/28
Project: Research project
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Mechanisms of Recovery from Viral Pneumonia
Ridge, K. M. (PD/PI) & Ridge, K. M. (PD/PI)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
9/15/21 → 7/31/26
Project: Research project
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Mechanisms of Alveolar Homeostasis, Injury, Regeneration, and Fibrosis
Ridge, K. M. (PD/PI) & Ridge, K. M. (PD/PI)
University of Michigan, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
3/1/22 → 2/28/25
Project: Research project
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Correction to: Profibrotic monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages are expanded in patients with persistent respiratory symptoms and radiographic abnormalities after COVID-19 (Nature Immunology, (2024), 25, 11, (2097-2109), 10.1038/s41590-024-01975-x)
Bailey, J. I., Puritz, C. H., Senkow, K. J., Markov, N. S., Diaz, E., Jonasson, E., Yu, Z., Swaminathan, S., Lu, Z., Fenske, S., Grant, R. A., Abdala-Valencia, H., Mylvaganam, R. J., Ludwig, A., Miller, J., Cumming, R. I., Tighe, R. M., Gowdy, K. M., Kalhan, R. & Jain, M. & 12 others, , Feb 2025, In: Nature Immunology. 26, 2, p. 323 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
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RETRACTED ARTICLE: Suppression of inflammation and acute lung injury by Miz1 via repression of C/EBP-δ (Nature Immunology, (2013), 14, 5, (461-469), 10.1038/ni.2566)
Do-Umehara, H. C., Chen, C., Urich, D., Zhou, L., Qiu, J., Jang, S., Zander, A., Baker, M. A., Eilers, M., Sporn, P. H. S., Ridge, K. M., Sznajder, J. I., Budinger, G. R. S., Mutlu, G. M., Lin, A. & Liu, J., Feb 2025, In: Nature Immunology. 26, 2, p. 324 1 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
Open Access -
Defining a timeline of colon pathologies after keratin 8 loss: rapid crypt elongation and diarrhea are followed by epithelial erosion and cell exfoliation
Ilomaki, M. A., Polari, L., Stenvall, C. G. A., Tayyab, M., Kahara, K., Ridge, K. M. & Toivola, D. M., Jan 2024, In: American Journal of Physiology - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. 326, 1, p. G67-G77Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access2 Scopus citations -
Distinctive evolution of alveolar T cell responses is associated with clinical outcomes in unvaccinated patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia
The NU SCRIPT Study Investigators, 2024, (Accepted/In press) In: Nature Immunology. 25, 9, p. 1607-1622 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
6 Scopus citations -
Mitochondrial respiration in microglia is essential for response to demyelinating injury but not proliferation
Stoolman, J. S., Grant, R. A., Poor, T. A., Weinberg, S. E., D’Alessandro, K. B., Tan, J., Hu, J. Y. S., Zerrer, M. E., Wood, W. A., Harding, M. C., Soni, S., Ridge, K. M., Schumacker, P. T., Budinger, G. R. S. & Chandel, N. S., Aug 2024, In: Nature Metabolism. 6, 8, p. 1492-1504 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review
9 Scopus citations
Datasets
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Vimentin is Required for Tumor Progression and Metastasis in a Mouse Model of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Ridge, K. M. (Creator), figshare, 2023
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.20443095.v1, https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Vimentin_is_Required_for_Tumor_Progression_and_Metastasis_in_a_Mouse_Model_of_Non-Small_Cell_Lung_Cancer/20443095/1
Dataset
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Additional file 7: of Inflammatory pathways are upregulated in the nasal epithelium in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Sala, M. A. (Creator), Balderas-Martínez, Y. I. (Contributor), Buendía-Roldan, I. (Contributor), Abdala-Valencia, H. (Creator), Nam, K. (Contributor), Jain, M. (Creator), Bhorade, S. (Creator), Bharat, A. (Creator), Reyfman, P. A. (Creator), Ridge, K. M. (Creator), Pardo, A. (Creator), Sznajder, J. I. (Creator), Budinger, G. R. S. (Contributor), Misharin, A. V. (Creator) & Selman, M. (Creator), figshare, 2018
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7386425, https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_7_of_Inflammatory_pathways_are_upregulated_in_the_nasal_epithelium_in_patients_with_idiopathic_pulmonary_fibrosis/7386425
Dataset
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Inflammatory pathways are upregulated in the nasal epithelium in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Sala, M. A. (Creator), Balderas-Martínez, Y. I. (Contributor), Buendía-Roldan, I. (Creator), Abdala-Valencia, H. (Creator), Nam, K. (Contributor), Jain, M. (Creator), Bhorade, S. (Creator), Bharat, A. (Creator), Reyfman, P. A. (Creator), Ridge, K. M. (Creator), Pardo, A. (Creator), Sznajder, J. I. (Creator), Budinger, G. R. S. (Contributor), Misharin, A. V. (Creator) & Selman, M. (Creator), figshare, 2018
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4313819, https://figshare.com/collections/Inflammatory_pathways_are_upregulated_in_the_nasal_epithelium_in_patients_with_idiopathic_pulmonary_fibrosis/4313819
Dataset
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Additional file 4: of Inflammatory pathways are upregulated in the nasal epithelium in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Sala, M. A. (Creator), Balderas-Martínez, Y. I. (Contributor), Buendía-Roldan, I. (Contributor), Abdala-Valencia, H. (Creator), Nam, K. (Contributor), Jain, M. (Creator), Bhorade, S. (Creator), Bharat, A. (Creator), Reyfman, P. A. (Creator), Ridge, K. M. (Creator), Pardo, A. (Creator), Sznajder, J. I. (Creator), Budinger, G. R. S. (Contributor), Misharin, A. V. (Creator) & Selman, M. (Creator), figshare, 2018
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7386374, https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_4_of_Inflammatory_pathways_are_upregulated_in_the_nasal_epithelium_in_patients_with_idiopathic_pulmonary_fibrosis/7386374
Dataset
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Additional file 9: of Inflammatory pathways are upregulated in the nasal epithelium in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Sala, M. A. (Creator), Balderas-Martínez, Y. I. (Contributor), Buendía-Roldan, I. (Contributor), Abdala-Valencia, H. (Creator), Nam, K. (Contributor), Jain, M. (Creator), Bhorade, S. (Creator), Bharat, A. (Creator), Reyfman, P. A. (Creator), Ridge, K. M. (Creator), Pardo, A. (Creator), Sznajder, J. I. (Creator), Budinger, G. R. S. (Contributor), Misharin, A. V. (Creator) & Selman, M. (Creator), figshare, 2018
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.7386458, https://springernature.figshare.com/articles/Additional_file_9_of_Inflammatory_pathways_are_upregulated_in_the_nasal_epithelium_in_patients_with_idiopathic_pulmonary_fibrosis/7386458
Dataset