Email

jtrial@bcm.edu

Positions

Associate Professor

Medicine-Cardiovascular Sciences
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, TX US

Education

Ph.D. from University Of Texas Health Science Center

01/1980 - Dallas, TX United States

Post-doctoral Fellowship from Washington University School Of Medicine

01/1985 - St. Louis, MO United States

M.A., magna cum laude from Texas Woman's University

01/1969 - Denton, Texas United States

B.A., magna cum laude from University Of Dallas

01/1965 - Irving, Texas United States

Professional Statement

Dr. Trial is studying the origins of different types of fibroblasts in healing injuries to the heart. This research is in two major areas: a) White blood cells called monocytes travel through the blood and migrate to organs that have been injured. The cells migrate out of the blood vessels and into these tissues, where they mature either into macrophages that fight infections, or fibroblasts that form scars. We have identified some of the factors that influence the decision of the monocyte to become either a macrophage or a fibroblast, and are investigating the signaling mechanisms and cascades that result. b) Fibroblasts are cells that can deposit scars after tissue injury. Some of these cells derive from adult stem cell progenitors in the heart. The stem cells are multipotent in that they can develop into many kinds of cells such as bone, cartilage, and fat cells as well as fibroblasts. We are studying which influences determine the lineage choice of these cells.

Websites

Memberships

Society for Leukocyte Biology

Member

American Association of Immunologists

Member