08/09/2023
Megan Grund, PhD, awarded NIH T32 Fellowship
Megan Grund, PhD, completed her doctoral studies at West Virginia University (WVU) in May 2023 and one month later joined the Lerner Research Institute (LRI) as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the lab of Rachel Scheraga, MD, Department of Inflammation & Immunity. Dr. Grund’s investigations will focus on innate immune function in lung injury in response to bacterial infection with a particular interest in a mechanosensitive ion channel called TRPV4. Her research is aimed at developing therapeutics to combat chronic bacterial infections in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and fibrotic lung diseases.
Dr. Grund has also joined the third class of fellows in the Supporting Multidisciplinary Achievement in Respiratory Research Training (SMARRT) program. This T32 award from the Respiratory Institute, with Raed Dweik, MD, as the PI, is a collaboration between the Respiratory Institute and LRI that provides mentorship and hands-on research experience.
“The T32 is a great introduction into the community of Inflammation & Immunity,” says Dr. Grund. “It also provides support in terms of resources for my project as well as a strong network of investigators and the mentorship of Drs. Scheraga and Dweik.”
Dr. Grund grew up in Tallmadge, Ohio and earned her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Akron majoring in Biology and Spanish. Her thesis and dissertation from WVU concentrated on vaccine research and efflux pumps that rid toxic compounds from the cell and bacteria.
Her new Postdoctoral Fellowship position will help set the foundations for Dr. Grund’s research in lung biology and specifically in response to a particular bacteria, Burkholderia, which causes chronic disease in patients with CF, such as pneumonia, bacteremia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and septic arthritis. The research is relevant to the Scheraga lab which studies host defense, infection and lung injury.
“I was interested in joining Dr. Scheraga’s lab because of her background in lung injury and disease,” said Dr. Grund. “And the T32 will help lay the foundation for grant writing in order to obtain my next goal, an early investigator award.”
