Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty typically have an academic or research appointment at another institution and contribute or collaborate with one or more School of Medicine faculty members or programs.
Adjunct rank detailsLokesh Kumar Sharma, PhD
Assistant Professor AdjunctAbout
Research
Publications
2026
Soluble Thrombomodulin Links Viremia and Mortality During COVID-19: Results From the ACTIV-4a Trial.
Zuchelkowski B, Inman K, Nouraie S, Beru N, Naqvi A, Qin S, Yeh C, Zhang Y, Shah F, Sharma L, Dela Cruz C, Zhang L, McVerry B, Morris A, Neal M, Seheult J, Kitsios G, Mellors J, Lawrence D, Kim P, Jacobs J, Bain W. Soluble Thrombomodulin Links Viremia and Mortality During COVID-19: Results From the ACTIV-4a Trial. Journal Of The American Heart Association 2026, 15: e047693. PMID: 42089155, DOI: 10.1161/jaha.125.047693.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsViral RNA levelsSoluble thrombomodulinAssociated with deathCardiovascular complicationsRNA levelsRandomized trials of antithrombotic therapyRandomized trialsSARS-CoV-2Trials of antithrombotic therapyRespiratory viral infectionsViral RNAAntithrombotic therapyClinical outcomesRespiratory virusesCox regressionViral disseminationEndotheliopathyViral infectionFine-GraySARS-CoV-2 RNA levelsMortality rateThrombomodulinSARS-CoV-2 RNAViremiaN antigenD101-09 Genetic Variation in the Alternative Pathway of Complement and Individual Susceptibility to Pneumonia in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program
Inman K, Chernus J, Alder J, Sharma L, Kulkarni H, Strollo P, Dela Cruz C, Feingold E, Bain W. D101-09 Genetic Variation in the Alternative Pathway of Complement and Individual Susceptibility to Pneumonia in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2026, 212: aamag162.4550. DOI: 10.1093/ajrccm/aamag162.4550.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchExpression quantitative trait lociSingle nucleotide polymorphismsIntergenic single nucleotide polymorphismLinkage disequilibriumGenetic variationExpression quantitative trait loci dataTrans-ancestral meta-analysisVeterans AffairsLead single nucleotide polymorphismsSignificant SNPsUnique single nucleotide polymorphismsIdentification of genetic variantsVeterans Affairs Million Veteran ProgramAlternative pathwayQuantitative trait lociAlternative pathway of complementPathway of complementPathway activationFungal pneumoniaMillion Veteran ProgramAssociated with variantsGenome-wideLead variantsAlternative pathway proteinsNear genesC96-02 Proteasome Dysfunction Modulates Host Response to Influenza Infection
Verdone J, Chandler M, Villandre J, Sharma L, Qin S, Dela Cruz C, Evankovich J. C96-02 Proteasome Dysfunction Modulates Host Response to Influenza Infection. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2026, 212: aamag162.4517. DOI: 10.1093/ajrccm/aamag162.4517.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInfluenza A Virus InfectionInfluenza A virusPrecision-cut lung slicesHuman precision-cut lung slicesInfluenza infectionHost response to IAV infectionHost response to influenza infectionResponse to influenza infectionInfluenza A virus replicationResponse to IAV infectionInfluenza A virus nucleoproteinInfluenza A virus NPIndependent risk factorInfluenza matrix proteinTranscription of proinflammatory genesExpression of proinflammatory markersProteasome dysfunctionHost response to infectionMatrix proteinsInfection in vitroProteasome activityHost-directed therapeutic targetAntiviral gene expressionResponse to infectionIAV infectionC67-06 Aging and Sex Differentially Shape Myeloid Responses and Viral Clearance During Influenza Infection
Kim J, Qiu A, Bain W, Abu Hussein N, Agaronyan K, Suber T, Rizzo A, Evankovich J, Dela Cruz C, Zhao A, Yuan Y, Manning E, Chen L, Sharma L. C67-06 Aging and Sex Differentially Shape Myeloid Responses and Viral Clearance During Influenza Infection. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2026, 212: aamag162.4460. DOI: 10.1093/ajrccm/aamag162.4460.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchInfluenza infectionViral clearanceSevere influenzaInnate immune response to influenzaRisk of severe influenzaSusceptibility to severe influenzaImmune response to influenzaDefective viral clearanceResponse to influenzaViral transcriptionInflammatory gene signatureFemale C57BL/6 micePersistent pulmonary inflammationWeight lossSex-dependent alterationsAged neutrophilsBody weight lossNS1 protein expressionHigh-risk populationProinflammatory gene expressionCell activity patternsHuman challenge studiesViral RNA quantificationMyeloid populationsPulmonary inflammationB75-10 Electronic Cigarette Extract Exaggerates Influenza A Virus-induced Cell Death and Disrupts Barrier Function in Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Villandre J, Chandler M, Tuncer F, Sharma L, Chen B, Dela Cruz C, Evankovich J. B75-10 Electronic Cigarette Extract Exaggerates Influenza A Virus-induced Cell Death and Disrupts Barrier Function in Alveolar Epithelial Cells. American Journal Of Respiratory And Critical Care Medicine 2026, 212: aamag162.4393. DOI: 10.1093/ajrccm/aamag162.4393.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchE-cigarette extractsInfluenza A virusTransepithelial electrical resistanceInfluenza A Virus InfectionHAELVi cellsAlveolar epitheliumMultiple dosesBarrier functionAir-liquid interfaceCell deathTight junctionsBarrier integrityAssociated with barrier dysfunctionRespiratory tractViral respiratory infectionsTransepithelial electrical resistance valuesAlveolar epithelial barrierDisrupted barrier functionProgrammed Cell DeathEpithelial barrier integrityDose-dependent increaseGas exchange abnormalitiesHuman alveolar epithelialAlveolar epithelial cellsAnnexin V assayVascular Endothelial Growth Factor-D Improves Lung Vascular Integrity During Acute Lung Injury
Yoon Y, Sharma L, Tang W, Kirk S, Raredon M, Ahangari F, Khoury J, Qian H, Ke Y, Tulapurkar M, Liu R, Luan Y, Yuan Q, Chen L, Birukov K, Simons M, Wu D, Niklason L, Kaminski N, Yuan Y. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-D Improves Lung Vascular Integrity During Acute Lung Injury. Circulation Research 2026, 138: e326094. PMID: 41822962, PMCID: PMC13007730, DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.124.326094.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVEGF-DAcute lung injuryBarrier-protective effectsVascular integrityLung injuryLipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury modelIntravenous administrationTNF-aParacrine signalingModel of acute lung injuryPulmonary vascular integrityLigand-receptor interactionsImmune cell infiltrationAcute lung injury modelLung vascular integrityVEGFR2-dependent signalingLung injury modelEndothelial barrier integrityEndothelial barrier functionRNA sequencing dataMicrovascular endothelial cellsInhibition of VEGFR2Microvascular nichePharmacological blockadeAssociated with pathwaysEpidermal growth factor receptor regulates Beclin-1 in hyperoxic acute lung injury
Harris Z, Korde A, Khoury J, Manning E, Stanley G, Shin Y, Mitchell K, von der Schulenburg A, Sun Y, Hu B, Shin H, Joerns J, Clark B, Placek L, Unutmaz D, Moldobaeva A, Sharma L, Sauler M, Rajagopalan G, Zhang X, Wang H, Ghaedi M, Kang M, Koff J. Epidermal growth factor receptor regulates Beclin-1 in hyperoxic acute lung injury. BMJ Open Respiratory Research 2026, 13: e003323. PMID: 41592865, PMCID: PMC12853440, DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2025-003323.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsEpidermal growth factor receptorAcute lung injuryHyperoxic ALIHyperoxic acute lung injuryGrowth factor receptorIn vivo effectsLung injuryOxidant-mediated acute lung injuryFactor receptorIntensive care unit mortalityExposure to high oxygenAlveolar type II cellsDelivery of supplemental oxygenPulmonary cell deathLife-saving therapyPluripotent stem cellsType II cellsNormoxia controlSupplemental oxygenUnit mortalityAlveolar epitheliumBeclin-1Cell death pathwaysStem cellsTherapeutic potentialA clinically interpretable prediction model for acute mortality in patients with pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation
Hu H, Zu Y, Zhao L, Zhang Q, Zhou G, Xu P, Zhao A, Yin F, Sharma L, Chang D. A clinically interpretable prediction model for acute mortality in patients with pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation. Respiratory Research 2026, 27: 126. PMID: 41731516, PMCID: PMC12980919, DOI: 10.1186/s12931-026-03581-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchArea under the curveDecision curve analysisShort-term mortalityIntensive care unitInterpretable prediction modelsPrecision-recallMechanical ventilationWeb-based calculatorSOFA scoreMachine learning algorithmsOptimal resource allocationClinical net benefitEarly mechanical ventilationHigh-risk patientsEarly risk stratificationMultiple independent cohortsFeature selectionLearning algorithmsHigh-risk populationIndividual risk assessmentPerformance metricsMIMIC-IVPrediction modelUrine outputModel interpretation
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 cellsHyperoxiaA familial case of Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome complicated with lung cancer: a case report and literature review
Feng J, Yu Y, Liu Y, Ding Y, Mu J, Jiang R, Sharma L, Jie Z. A familial case of Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome complicated with lung cancer: a case report and literature review. Frontiers In Medicine 2025, 12: 1581786. PMID: 40630489, PMCID: PMC12234290, DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1581786.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFLCN mutationsPulmonary cystsRare familial casesLung cancerLung adenocarcinomaFamilial casesGenetic testingBilateral pulmonary cystsPathogenic FLCN mutationsPrimary lung adenocarcinomaInvasive lung adenocarcinomaAutosomal dominant disorderRenal tumorsSpontaneous pneumothoracesSevere hyperthyroidismClinical courseFLCN geneCutaneous fibrofolliculomasCase reportTumor progressionGermline mutationsPersistent coughDominant disorderTumor suppressor proteinLiver injury