Jessica Nouws, PhD
Associate Research ScientistCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Stem cell migration drives lung repair in living mice
Chioccioli M, Liu S, Magruder S, Tata A, Borriello L, McDonough J, Konkimalla A, Kim S, Nouws J, Gonzalez D, Traub B, Ye X, Yang T, Entenberg D, Krishnaswamy S, Hendry C, Kaminski N, Tata P, Sauler M. Stem cell migration drives lung repair in living mice. Developmental Cell 2026, 61: 706. PMID: 41742415, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.02.012.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAberrant cellular communities underlying disease heterogeneity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Zhang Y, Wei H, Nouws J, Jiang W, Brewster R, Nguyen J, Liang S, Pass S, Wang W, Collin F, Oill A, Kim S, Siller S, Liu J, Zhao A, Hansbro P, Dela Cruz C, Britto C, Gomez J, Cloonan S, Herzog E, Lam T, Banovich N, Raredon M, Zhang X, Mangiola S, Homer R, Kaminski N, McDonough J, Polverino F, Yan X, Sauler M. Aberrant cellular communities underlying disease heterogeneity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nature Genetics 2026, 58: 376-391. PMID: 41578022, PMCID: PMC12900648, DOI: 10.1038/s41588-025-02480-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseObstructive pulmonary diseasePlasma biomarkersPulmonary diseaseComposite symptom scoreStudy participantsCell statesEarly COPDCellular landscapeNonimmune cellsCell communication analysisSymptom scoresImmune populationsSingle-nucleus RNA sequencingDisease progressionTherapeutic strategiesLung functionLung tissueChronic obstructive pulmonary disease heterogeneityMolecular driversDisease heterogeneityRegenerative stateCell compositionPathological cellsCell-autonomous
2025
Integrative single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing reveals the impact of chronic cigarette smoking on lung epithelial responses to influenza and hyperoxia
Cha P, Zou Z, Nouws J, Brewster R, Dela Cruz C, Sharma L, Yan X, Sauler M. Integrative single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing reveals the impact of chronic cigarette smoking on lung epithelial responses to influenza and hyperoxia. Respiratory Research 2025, 27: 13. PMID: 41366391, PMCID: PMC12801856, DOI: 10.1186/s12931-025-03393-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchChronic CS exposureTranscription factor motif enrichmentCS exposureEpithelial programETS family factorsSusceptibility to acute lung injuryResponse to influenzaMotif enrichmentATAC-seqAcute lung injuryTranscriptional regulationSingle-cell RNAATAC sequencingEpigenetic contextEpithelial subsetsEpithelial responsesProof-of-principle studyLung injuryDifferentiation pathwayChanges in vivoBackgroundCigarette smokingInflammatory signalingAberrant responsesCiliated cellsHyperoxiaDysregulated alveolar type 2 epithelial cell proteostasis promotes fibrogenic macrophage migration inhibitory factor–CD74 signaling
Kim S, Nouws J, Ruwisch J, Woodard G, Cooley J, Khoury J, Sun H, Doherty E, Piecychna M, Manning E, Kang M, Bruscia E, Wei H, Zhang Y, Yarovinsky T, Hwa J, Zacharias W, Ingram J, Lee C, Elias J, Kaminski N, Redente E, Herzog E, Prasse A, Bucala R, Sauler M. Dysregulated alveolar type 2 epithelial cell proteostasis promotes fibrogenic macrophage migration inhibitory factor–CD74 signaling. Science Translational Medicine 2025, 17: eadr2277. PMID: 41337540, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adr2277.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAlveolar Epithelial CellsAnimalsAntigens, Differentiation, B-LymphocyteBleomycinDisease Models, AnimalHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIHumansIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisIntramolecular OxidoreductasesLungMacrophage Migration-Inhibitory FactorsMacrophagesMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, TransgenicProteasome Endopeptidase ComplexProteostasisSignal TransductionUbiquitinConceptsIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosisMacrophage migration inhibitory factorBronchoalveolar lavage fluidPharmacological inhibition of MIFBleomycin-induced lung injury modelMouse modelPharmacological inhibitionC-X3-C motif chemokine receptor 1Human precision-cut lung slicesTransforming growth factor-b1Inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factorSignals to macrophagesPrecision-cut lung slicesFibrotic lung diseaseType 2 epithelial cellsAlveolar type 2 epithelial cellsChemokine receptor 1Lung injury modelMigration inhibitory factorMIF-2Study participantsUbiquitin-proteasome systemSpontaneous fibrosisPulmonary fibrosisLavage fluid
2024
Alveolar Type 2 Cells With Impaired Proteostasis Signal to Monocyte-derived Macrophages Via a MIF/DDT-CD74 Signaling Network to Promotes Pulmonary Fibrosis in IPF
Kim S, Nouws J, Cooley J, Ahangari F, Leng L, Elias J, Kaminski N, Lee P, Redente E, Kang M, Sun H, Herzog E, Bucala R, Prasse A, Sauler M. Alveolar Type 2 Cells With Impaired Proteostasis Signal to Monocyte-derived Macrophages Via a MIF/DDT-CD74 Signaling Network to Promotes Pulmonary Fibrosis in IPF. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2024, 209: a3001-a3001. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2024.209.1_meetingabstracts.a3001.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchReduced Epithelial NUPR1 Negatively Impacts Mitochondrial Function and Metabolism, and Increases Susceptibility to Emphysema
Nouws J, Yang T, Santofimia-Castaño P, Iovanna J, Sauler M. Reduced Epithelial NUPR1 Negatively Impacts Mitochondrial Function and Metabolism, and Increases Susceptibility to Emphysema. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2024, 209: a2620-a2620. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2024.209.1_meetingabstracts.a2620.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltered extracellular matrix dynamics is associated with insulin resistance in adolescent children with obesity
Slusher A, Nouws J, Tokoglu F, Vash‐Margita A, Matthews M, Fitch M, Shankaran M, Hellerstein M, Caprio S. Altered extracellular matrix dynamics is associated with insulin resistance in adolescent children with obesity. Obesity 2024, 32: 593-602. PMID: 38410080, PMCID: PMC11034857, DOI: 10.1002/oby.23974.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSubcutaneous adipose tissueLiver fat contentInsulin resistanceInsulin sensitivityEctopic storage of lipidOral glucose tolerance testGluteal subcutaneous adipose tissueExtracellular matrix dynamicsMagnetic resonance imaging scansAdipose tissueBody fat distribution patternsFibrogenesis in vivoAdipocyte turnoverAssociated with insulin resistanceGlucose tolerance testFat distribution patternsWhole-body IRAdipose tissue insulin signalingTissue insulin signalingTolerance testGluteal fatImaging scansPathophysiological pathwaysAssociated with ratioObesityStem cell migration drives lung repair in living mice
Chioccioli M, Liu S, Magruder S, Tata A, Borriello L, McDonough J, Konkimalla A, Kim S, Nouws J, Gonzalez D, Traub B, Ye X, Yang T, Entenberg D, Krishnaswamy S, Hendry C, Kaminski N, Tata P, Sauler M. Stem cell migration drives lung repair in living mice. Developmental Cell 2024, 59: 830-840.e4. PMID: 38377991, PMCID: PMC11003834, DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.02.003.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchStem cell migrationCell migrationAlveolar type 2 cellsAlveolar unitsStem cell motilityAlveolar type 1 cellsStem cell activityCellular response to injuryResponse to injuryType 2 cellsMotile phenotypeType 1 cellsCell motilityLung repairImpaired regenerationGenetic depletionCell activationAT2Stem cellsTissue repairAT1Longitudinal imagingInjuryMotilityCellular resolution
2023
Alterations in Adipose Tissue Distribution, Cell Morphology, and Function Mark Primary Insulin Hypersecretion in Youth With Obesity
Tricò D, Chiriacò M, Nouws J, Vash-Margita A, Kursawe R, Tarabra E, Galderisi A, Natali A, Giannini C, Hellerstein M, Ferrannini E, Caprio S. Alterations in Adipose Tissue Distribution, Cell Morphology, and Function Mark Primary Insulin Hypersecretion in Youth With Obesity. Diabetes 2023, 73: 941-952. PMID: 37870826, PMCID: PMC11109779, DOI: 10.2337/db23-0450.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPrimary insulin hypersecretionΒ-cell glucose sensitivityAdipose tissue distributionInsulin hypersecretionInsulin resistanceGlucose toleranceUnfavorable metabolic phenotypeWorse glucose toleranceLeptin serum levelsAbnormal glucose toleranceTissue distributionExcessive insulin secretionHigher leptin levelsVisceral fat depotsNon-diabetic adolescentsEuglycemic hyperinsulinemic clampWhole-body adiposityAbdominal subcutaneous adipocytesBody weight gainGlucose sensitivityPrimary hypersecretionGlucose intoleranceSerum levelsLeptin levelsChronic hyperinsulinemia
2018
Ethnicity and Common Genetic Variants Modulate Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Metabolic Phenotype in Obese Youth
TRICO D, CAPRIO S, UMANO G, GALDERISI A, MATA M, NOUWS J, PIERPONT B, KIM G, SANTORO N. Ethnicity and Common Genetic Variants Modulate Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) Metabolic Phenotype in Obese Youth. Diabetes 2018, 67 DOI: 10.2337/db18-313-or.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNonalcoholic fatty liver diseasePediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver diseaseType 2 diabetesInsulin resistanceObese adolescentsInsulin sensitivityPrevalence of NAFLDHigher C-peptide levelsOral glucose tolerance testAfrican AmericansC-peptide levelsHigh fasting glucoseFatty liver diseaseGlucose tolerance testLower insulin sensitivityMajor risk factorZ-score BMIHepatic fat contentStrongest predictorCommon gene variantsFasting GlucoseNAFLD developmentGlucose toleranceLiver diseaseTolerance test