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Maria T. Peña, MD
Contact Information
Children's National Medical Center
Center for Genetic Medicine Research (CGMR)
111 Michigan Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20010-2970
202-476-6029
mpena@childrensnational.org
Education & Training
| Institution & Location |
Degree |
Year(s) |
Field of Study |
| University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
BA |
1983-1985 |
Microbiology |
| Wayne State Medical School |
MD |
1987-1991 |
Medicine |
Research Interests
Maria Peña, MD, has been a faculty member in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children’s National Medical Center and an investigator in the Research Center for Genetic Medicine since 2000, following completion of her fellowship program at CNMC. Dr. Peña’s clinical and research focus is on the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). To facilitate research, she established a sinus and nasal polyp tissue bank from pediatric patients, which includes sinus mucosa samples from true pediatric controls, children with CRS, and children with CRS and cystic fibrosis (CF). Initial studies focused on mucus hypersecretion and on establishing what secretory cells and/or mucin glycoproteins are overexpressed in CRS. A major finding was the observation of a significantly increased number of submucosal glands in pediatric CRS patients, suggesting that glandular hyperplasia is the cause of mucus hypersecretion.
To pursue this finding, Dr. Peña initiated genome wide expression array analyses on sinus mucosal tissues from patients with or without CRS in order to identify genes and pathways implicated in the etiology of glandular hyperplasia in pediatric patients with CRS. Specific inflammatory genes in the adaptive and innate immune system, as well as glandular genes, were validated by RT-PCR in an independent set of sinus mucosa tissues. From these studies a testable model, wherein specific inflammatory mediators (two of which have not previously been identified in sinus mucosa) activate genes and pathways that lead to glandular development, has been developed and is currently being evaluated. These studies are being done in collaboration with Dr. Mary Rose and Dr. Xiaofang Wu.
In conjunction with the CRS studies, Dr. Peña has also carried out a pilot/feasibility project that analyzed the sinus mucosa, mucin expression, and gene expression arrays of CRS patients who also have CF. The similarity in the expression array profiles of the CRS patients with or without CF likely reflects CRS and glandular hyperplasia, whereas the differences may reflect CF-specific pathways. The data is being mined to generate hypotheses as to the all-important question of how the respiratory tract in CF patients is initially comprised to allow establishment of inflammation and chronic infection.
Dr. Peña’s research has been supported by grants from the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology; an NIH minority faculty investigator supplemental award to Dr. Rose’s ongoing RO1 grant on regulation of MUC5AC mucin gene expression; the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation; and by internal funding from the General Clinical Research Center.
Clinical Interests
Click here for more information about the doctor’s clinical practice, including how to make an appointment.
Publications
View a partial list of publications for Maria T. Peña, MD through the National Library of Medicine's PubMed online database.
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