Elizabeth Kovacs, PhD

Research Interests

Pulmonary Response to Traumatic Injury This work continues to describe the role of leukocytes and other cells in the pulmonary response after remote injury, such as burns. We have isolated leukocyte subsets and other cell types from the blood and lungs of burn patients some of whom have smoke inhalation injury, consume alcohol and/or are older, as well as from rodent models of injury that we developed. Studies focus on direct and indirect mechanisms by which remote insults alter cell phenotype in the lung with the aim of developing novel therapeutic strategies to rapidly restore inflammatory homeostasis and improve lung function and survival. Gut-Liver Axis and Pulmonary Inflammation These ongoing studies examine the integrity of the intestinal epithelial cell barrier and fecal microbiome in burn patients and in murine models. Our work has revealed that cutaneous burn injury triggers a cascade of events initiated by cytokines, chemokines, danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) emanating from burn-injured tissue. These mediators combined with post-burn intestinal ischemia cause damage to the gut including a loss of integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier and a shift in the fecal microbiome, leading to bacterial translocation and damage to distant organs, including the liver and the lung. Knowledge gained about the mechanisms of intestinal epithelial barrier disruption and metabolic products in the feces may lead to the design of targeted therapeutic interventions to restore the gut. Gut-Brain Axis after Burn Trauma Extensive clinical and experimental studies have shown the importance of the gut microbiome in modulating neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction. Based on the findings of delirium and cognitive decline in burn patients, including in those who are older and/or misuse alcohol, we are examining the connection(s) between the exaggerated and prolonged intestinal response and the profound rise in inflammatory mediators in the brain of injured rodents and biomarkers in the blood of burn patients. Neuroinflammation is associated with a loss of integrity of the intestinal epithelial cell barrier as well as a breach in the blood brain barrier (BBB). Taken together, these observations lead us to interrogate the gut-brain axis after burn injury, exploring the mechanism(s) involved in this multi-organ response to remote injury. Restoring the integrity of the gut barrier and homeostasis of the intestinal microbiome may attenuate neuroinflammation and improve cognitive function after injury.

Publications

• McMahan RH, Boe D, Giesy LE, Najarro KM, Khair S, Walrath T, Frank DN, Kovacs EJ. Advanced Age Worsens Respiratory Function and Pulmonary Inflammation After Burn Injury and This Correlates With Changes in the Fecal Microbiome in Mice. J Burn Care Res. 2025 Jan 24;46(1):53-60. PubMed PMID: 38837704
• Pratap A, Monge KM, Qualman AC, Kovacs EJ, Idrovo JP. Burn-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocytes: The role of methylation-controlled J protein silencing. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2025 Feb 1;98(2):204-211. PubMed PMID: 39760651
• Walrath T, Najarro KM, Giesy LE, Khair S, Orlicky DJ, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Reducing the excessive inflammation after burn injury in aged mice by maintaining a healthier intestinal microbiome. FASEB J. 2024 Sep 30;38(18):e70065. PubMed PMID: 39305117
• Mohyuddin H, Laffon B, Teixeira JP, Costa S, Teixeira-Gomes A, Pásaro E, Constantine N, Dagdag A, Ortmeyer HK, Tizenberg B, Afram L, Yen P, Marano C, Lowry CA, Hoisington AJ, RachBeisel JA, Valdiglesias V, Lema-Arranz C, Fernández-Bertólez N, Maseda A, Millán-Calenti JC, Kovacs EJ, Gostner JM, Fuchs D, Brenner LA, Lorenzo-López L, Postolache TT. Toxoplasma gondii IgG Serointensity Is Positively Associated With Frailty. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024 Mar 1;79(3). PubMed PMID: 37939652
• Hoisington AJ, Stearns-Yoder KA, Kovacs EJ, Postolache TT, Brenner LA. Airborne Exposure to Pollutants and Mental Health: A Review with Implications for United States Veterans. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2024 Jun;11(2):168-183. PubMed PMID: 38457036
• Hoisington LCAJ, Lowry CA, McDonald LT, Krefft SD, Rose CS, Kovacs EJ, Brenner LA. First Annual PACT Act Research Symposium on Veterans Health: A Colorado PACT Act Collaboration (CoPAC) Initiative. Mil Med. 2024 Feb 27;189(3-4):80-84. PubMed PMID: 37855327
• Anton PE, Rutt LN, Kaufman ML, Busquet N, Kovacs EJ, McCullough RL. Binge ethanol exposure in advanced age elevates neuroinflammation and early indicators of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in female mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Feb;116:303-316. PubMed PMID: 38151165
• Anton PE, Rutt LN, Kaufman ML, Busquet N, Kovacs EJ, McCullough RL. Corrigendum to "Binge ethanol exposure in advanced age elevates neuroinflammation and early indicators of neurodegeneration and cognitive impairment in female mice" [Brain Behav. Immun. 116 (2024) 303-316]. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Aug;120:644-645. PubMed PMID: 38702200
• Hoisington AJ, Choy K, Khair S, Dyamenahalli KU, Najarro KM, Wiktor AJ, Frank DN, Burnham EL, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Recent alcohol intake impacts microbiota in adult burn patients. Alcohol. 2024 Aug;118:25-35. PubMed PMID: 38604285
• Rutt LN, Liu M, Melamed E, Twardy S, Sturgill JL, Brenner LA, Hardesty J, Weinman SA, Tschann MM, Travers J, Welsh DA, Chichetto N, Crotty KM, Mackowiak B, Yeligar SM, Wyatt TA, McMahan RH, Choudry MA, Kovacs EJ, McCullough RL. Emerging concepts in alcohol, infection & immunity: A summary of the 2023 alcohol and immunology research interest group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2024 Aug;118:9-16. PubMed PMID: 38582261
• Walrath T, Najarro KM, Giesy LE, Khair S, Frank DN, Robertson CE, Orlicky DJ, Quillinan N, Idrovo JP, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. REMOTE BURN INJURY IN AGED MICE INDUCES COLONIC LYMPHOID AGGREGATE EXPANSION AND DYSBIOSIS OF THE FECAL MICROBIOME WHICH CORRELATES WITH NEUROINFLAMMATION. Shock. 2023 Oct 1;60(4):585-593. PubMed PMID: 37548929
• Muro I, Qualman AC, Kovacs EJ, Idrovo JP. Burn-Induced Apoptosis in the Livers of Aged Mice Is Associated With Caspase Cleavage of Bcl-xL. J Surg Res. 2023 Oct;290:147-155. PubMed PMID: 37267704
• McMahan RH, Hulsebus HJ, Najarro KM, Giesy LE, Frank DN, Kovacs EJ. Changes in gut microbiome correlate with intestinal barrier dysfunction and inflammation following a 3-day ethanol exposure in aged mice. Alcohol. 2023 Mar;107:136-143. PubMed PMID: 36150609
• Colbert JF, Kirsch JM, Erzen CL, Langouët-Astrié CJ, Thompson GE, McMurtry SA, Kofonow JM, Robertson CE, Kovacs EJ, Sullivan RC, Hippensteel JA, Sawant NV, De Nisco NJ, McCollister BD, Schwartz RS, Horswill AR, Frank DN, Duerkop BA, Schmidt EP. Aging-Associated Augmentation of Gut Microbiome Virulence Capability Drives Sepsis Severity. mBio. 2023 Jun 27;14(3):e0005223. PubMed PMID: 37102874
• Choy K, Dyamenahalli KU, Khair S, Colborn KL, Wiktor AJ, Idrovo JP, McMahan RH, Burnham EL, Kovacs EJ. Aberrant inflammatory responses in intoxicated burn-injured patients parallel impaired cognitive function. Alcohol. 2023 Jun;109:35-41. PubMed PMID: 36690221
• Zillich L, Wagner J, McMahan RH, Park LM, Hodgkinson C, Kovacs EJ, Lohoff FW. Multi-omics analysis of alcohol effects on the liver in young and aged mice. Addict Biol. 2023 Dec;28(12):e13342. PubMed PMID: 38017640
• Khair S, Walrath TM, Curtis BJ, Orlicky DJ, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Ethanol exacerbates pulmonary complications after burn injury in mice, regardless of frequency of ethanol exposures. Burns. 2023 Dec;49(8):1935-1943. PubMed PMID: 37574341
• McNair BD, Polson SM, Shorthill SK, Yusifov A, Walker LA, Weiser-Evans MCM, Kovacs EJ, Bruns DR. Metformin protects against pulmonary hypertension-induced right ventricular dysfunction in an age- and sex-specific manner independent of cardiac AMPK. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2023 Aug 1;325(2):H278-H292. PubMed PMID: 37389952
• McMahan RH, Anton P, Coleman LG, Cresci GAM, Crews FT, Crotty KM, Luck ME, Molina PE, Vachharajani V, Weinberg J, Yeligar SM, Choudhry MA, McCullough RL, Kovacs EJ. Alcohol and Immunology: Mechanisms of multi-organ damage. Summary of the 2022 alcohol and Immunology research interest group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2023 Aug;110:57-63. PubMed PMID: 37061143
• Dyamenahalli K, Choy K, Frank DN, Najarro K, Boe D, Colborn KL, Idrovo JP, Wagner AL, Wiktor AJ, Afshar M, Burnham EL, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Age and Injury Size Influence the Magnitude of Fecal Dysbiosis in Adult Burn Patients. J Burn Care Res. 2022 Sep 1;43(5):1145-1153. PubMed PMID: 35020913
• Khair S, Brenner LA, Koval M, Samuelson D, Cucinello-Regland JA, Anton P, Piano MR, Simon L, Crotty K, Sharieh F, Travers JB, Singh V, Cannon A, Kim A, McCullough RL, Yeligar SM, Wyatt TA, McMahan RH, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. New insights into the mechanism of alcohol-mediated organ damage via its impact on immunity, metabolism, and repair pathways: A summary of the 2021 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2022 Sep;103:1-7. PubMed PMID: 35659577
• Walrath T, McMahan RH, Idrovo JP, Quillinan N, Kovacs EJ. Cutaneous burn injury induces neuroinflammation and reactive astrocyte activation in the hippocampus of aged mice. Exp Gerontol. 2022 Nov;169:111975. PubMed PMID: 36208823
• Najarro KM, Boe DM, Walrath TM, Mullen JE, Paul MT, Frankel JH, Hulsebus HJ, Idrovo JP, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Advanced age exacerbates intestinal epithelial permeability after burn injury in mice. Exp Gerontol. 2022 Feb;158:111654. PubMed PMID: 34915110
• Afshar M, Baker K, Corral J, Ross E, Lowery E, Gonzalez R, Burnham EL, Callcut RA, Kornblith LZ, Hendrickson C, Kovacs EJ, Joyce C. Internal and External Validation of an Alcohol Biomarker for Screening in Trauma. Ann Surg. 2022 Dec 1;276(6):e961-e968. PubMed PMID: 33534233
• Boe DM, Hulsebus HJ, Najarro KM, Mullen JE, Kim H, Tan AC, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Advanced age is associated with changes in alveolar macrophages and their responses to the stress of traumatic injury. J Leukoc Biol. 2022 Dec;112(6):1371-1386. PubMed PMID: 36120937
• McMahan RH, Boe DM, Walrath TM, Idrovo JP, Kovacs EJ. Aging, Cutaneous Burn Injury and Multi-Organ Complications: The Role of the Gut. Adv Geriatr Med Res. 2022;4(2). PubMed PMID: 35913894
• McMahan RH, Hulsebus HJ, Najarro KM, Giesy LE, Frank DN, Orlicky DJ, Kovacs EJ. Age-Related Intestinal Dysbiosis and Enrichment of Gut-specific Bacteria in the Lung Are Associated With Increased Susceptibility to Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection in Mice. Front Aging. 2022;3. PubMed PMID: 35392033
• Walrath T, Dyamenahalli KU, Hulsebus HJ, McCullough RL, Idrovo JP, Boe DM, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Age-related changes in intestinal immunity and the microbiome. J Leukoc Biol. 2021 Jun;109(6):1045-1061. PubMed PMID: 33020981
• Idrovo JP, Boe DM, Kaahui S, Walrath T, McMahan RH, Kovacs EJ. Advanced age heightens hepatic damage in a murine model of scald burn injury. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2021 Apr 1;90(4):731-737. PubMed PMID: 33306599
• McMahan RH, Afshar M, Amedee AM, Bishehsari F, Carr RM, Coleman LG, Herrnreiter CJ, Lewis SL, Mandrekar P, McCullough RL, Morris NL, Vasiliou V, Wang HJ, Yeligar SM, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Summary of the 2019 alcohol and immunology research interest group (AIRIG) meeting: Alcohol-mediated mechanisms of multiple organ injury. Alcohol. 2020 Sep;87:89-95. PubMed PMID: 32353591
• Idrovo JP, Boe DM, Kaahui S, Yang WL, Kovacs EJ. Hepatic inflammation after burn injury is associated with necroptotic cell death signaling. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2020 Oct;89(4):768-774. PubMed PMID: 33017135
• Moffatt LT, Madrzykowski D, Gibson ALF, Powell HM, Cancio LC, Wade CE, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ, Finnerty CC, Majetschak M, Shupp JW. Standards in Biologic Lesions: Cutaneous Thermal Injury and Inhalation Injury Working Group 2018 Meeting Proceedings. J Burn Care Res. 2020 May 2;41(3):604-611. PubMed PMID: 32011688
• Lowery EM, Afshar M, West N, Kovacs EJ, Smith B, Joyce C. Self-reported alcohol use in the cystic fibrosis community. J Cyst Fibros. 2020 Jan;19(1):84-90. PubMed PMID: 31303381
• Wheatley EG, Curtis BJ, Hulsebus HJ, Boe DM, Najarro K, Ir D, Robertson CE, Choudhry MA, Frank DN, Kovacs EJ. Advanced Age Impairs Intestinal Antimicrobial Peptide Response and Worsens Fecal Microbiome Dysbiosis Following Burn Injury in Mice. Shock. 2020 Jan;53(1):71-77. PubMed PMID: 30672882
• Idrovo JP, Shults JA, Curtis BJ, Chen MM, Kovacs EJ. Alcohol Intoxication and the Postburn Gastrointestinal Hormonal Response. J Burn Care Res. 2019 Oct 16;40(6):785-791. PubMed PMID: 31102437
• Camargo Moreno M, Lewis JB, Kovacs EJ, Lowery EM. Lung allograft donors with excessive alcohol use have increased levels of human antimicrobial peptide LL-37. Alcohol. 2019 Nov;80:109-117. PubMed PMID: 30419299
• Curtis BJ, Shults JA, Boe DM, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Mesenchymal stem cell treatment attenuates liver and lung inflammation after ethanol intoxication and burn injury. Alcohol. 2019 Nov;80:139-148. PubMed PMID: 30217504
• Curtis BJ, Boe DM, Shults JA, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Effects of Multiday Ethanol Intoxication on Postburn Inflammation, Lung Function, and Alveolar Macrophage Phenotype. Shock. 2019 May;51(5):625-633. PubMed PMID: 29846360
• Kuprys PV, Tsukamoto H, Gao B, Jia L, McGowan J, Coopersmith CM, Moreno MC, Hulsebus H, Meena AS, Souza-Smith FM, Roper P, Foster MT, Raju SV, Marshall SA, Fujita M, Curtis BJ, Wyatt TA, Mandrekar P, Kovacs EJ, Choudhry MA. Summary of the 2018 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2019 Jun;77:11-18. PubMed PMID: 30763905
• Afshar M, Burnham EL, Joyce C, Gagnon R, Dunn R, Albright JM, Ramirez L, Repine JE, Netzer G, Kovacs EJ. Injury Characteristics and von Willebrand Factor for the Prediction of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients With Burn Injury: Development and Internal Validation. Ann Surg. 2019 Dec;270(6):1186-1193. PubMed PMID: 29697443
• Dyamenahalli K, Garg G, Shupp JW, Kuprys PV, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Inhalation Injury: Unmet Clinical Needs and Future Research. J Burn Care Res. 2019 Aug 14;40(5):570-584. PubMed PMID: 31214710
• Rech MA, Mosier MJ, McConkey K, Zelisko S, Netzer G, Kovacs EJ, Afshar M. Outcomes in Burn-Injured Patients Who Develop Sepsis. J Burn Care Res. 2019 Apr 26;40(3):269-273. PubMed PMID: 30805641
• Afshar M, Burnham EL, Joyce C, Kovacs EJ, Lowery EM. Optimal Cut-Points for Phosphatidylethanol Vary by Clinical Setting: Response to Nguyen and Seth's (2018) Letter to the Editor. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2018 Oct;42(10):2064-2065. PubMed PMID: 30059162
• Hulsebus HJ, Curtis BJ, Molina PE, Afshar M, Boule LA, Morris N, Keshavarzian A, Kolls JK, Yeligar SM, Price ME, Wyatt TA, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Summary of the 2017 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2018 Jun;69:51-56. PubMed PMID: 29654985
• Lowery EM, Yong M, Cohen A, Joyce C, Kovacs EJ. Recent alcohol use prolongs hospital length of stay following lung transplant. Clin Transplant. 2018 Jun;32(6):e13250. PubMed PMID: 29620796
• Lowery EM, Walsh M, Yong M, Kovacs EJ, Joyce C, Afshar M. Use of alcohol biomarkers to identify alcohol misuse in organ donors. Alcohol. 2018 Dec;73:67-72. PubMed PMID: 30312857
• Boule LA, Ju C, Agudelo M, Parira T, Cannon A, Davis B, Eby J, Cresci G, Samuelson DR, Shukla P, Alrefai WA, Sureshchandra S, Pandey SC, Schnabl B, Curtis BJ, Wyatt TA, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Summary of the 2016 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2018 Feb;66:35-43. PubMed PMID: 29127885
• Camargo Moreno M, Lewis JB, Kovacs EJ, Lowery EM. Lung allograft donors with excessive alcohol use have increased levels of human antimicrobial peptide LL-37. Alcohol. 2018 Nov 9. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30419299
• Lowery EM, Walsh M, Yong M, Kovacs EJ, Joyce C, Afshar M. Use of alcohol biomarkers to identify alcohol misuse in organ donors. Alcohol. 2018 Dec;73:67-72. PubMed PMID: 30312857
• Curtis BJ, Shults JA, Boe DM, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment Attenuates Liver and Lung Inflammation after Ethanol Intoxication and Burn Injury. Alcohol. 2018 Sep 11. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30217504
• Afshar M, Burnham EL, Joyce C, Kovacs EJ, Lowery EM. Optimal Cut-Points for Phosphatidylethanol Vary by Clinical Setting: Response to Nguyen and Seth's (2018) Letter to the Editor. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2018 Oct;42(10):2064-2065. PubMed PMID: 30059162
• Curtis BJ, Boe DM, Shults JA, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Effects of Multi-Day Ethanol Intoxication on Post-Burn Inflammation, Lung Function, and Alveolar Macrophage Phenotype. Shock. 2018 May 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29846360
• Afshar M, Burnham EL, Joyce C, Gagnon R, Dunn R, Albright JM, Ramirez L, Repine JE, Netzer G, Kovacs EJ. Injury Characteristics and von Willebrand Factor for the Prediction of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients With Burn Injury: Development and Internal Validation. Ann Surg. 2018 Apr 24. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29697443
• Hulsebus HJ, Curtis BJ, Molina PE, Afshar M, Boule LA, Morris N, Keshavarzian A, Kolls JK, Yeligar SM, Price ME, Wyatt TA, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Summary of the 2017 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2018 Jun;69:51-56. PubMed PMID: 29654985
• Lowery EM, Yong M, Cohen A, Joyce C, Kovacs EJ. Recent alcohol use prolongs hospital length of stay following lung transplant. Clin Transplant. 2018 Jun;32(6):e13250. PubMed PMID: 29620796
• Boule LA, Ju C, Agudelo M, Parira T, Cannon A, Davis B, Eby J, Cresci G, Samuelson DR, Shukla P, Alrefai WA, Sureshchandra S, Pandey SC, Schnabl B, Curtis BJ, Wyatt TA, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Summary of the 2016 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2018 Feb;66:35-43. PubMed PMID: 29127885
• Frankel JH, Boe DM, Albright JM, O'Halloran EB, Carter SR, Davis CS, Ramirez L, Burnham EL, Gamelli RL, Afshar M, Kovacs EJ. Age-related immune responses after burn and inhalation injury are associated with altered clinical outcomes. Exp Gerontol. 2018 May;105:78-86. PubMed PMID: 29080833
• Frankel JH, Boe DM, Albright JM, O'Halloran EB, Carter SR, Davis CS, Ramirez L, Burnham EL, Gamelli RL, Afshar M, Kovacs EJ. Age-related immune responses after burn and inhalation injury are associated with altered clinical outcomes. Exp Gerontol. 2017 Oct 26. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 29080833
• Kovacs EJ, Boe DM, Boule LA, Curtis BJ. Inflammaging and the Lung. Clin Geriatr Med. 2017 Nov;33(4):459-471. PubMed PMID: 28991644
• Afshar M, Netzer G, Mosier MJ, Cooper RS, Adams W, Burnham EL, Kovacs EJ, Durazo-Arvizu R, Kliethermes S. The Contributing Risk of Tobacco Use for ARDS Development in Burn-Injured Adults With Inhalation Injury. Respir Care. 2017 Nov;62(11):1456-1465. PubMed PMID: 28900039
• Afshar M, Burnham EL, Joyce C, Clark BJ, Yong M, Gaydos J, Cooper RS, Smith GS, Kovacs EJ, Lowery EM. Cut-Point Levels of Phosphatidylethanol to Identify Alcohol Misuse in a Mixed Cohort Including Critically Ill Patients. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2017 Oct;41(10):1745-1753. PubMed PMID: 28792620
• Boule LA, Kovacs EJ. Alcohol, aging, and innate immunity. J Leukoc Biol. 2017 Jul;102(1):41-55. PubMed PMID: 28522597
• Rech MA, Mosier MJ, Zelisko S, Netzer G, Kovacs EJ, Afshar M. Comparison of Automated Methods Versus the American Burn Association Sepsis Definition to Identify Sepsis and Sepsis With Organ Dysfunction/Septic Shock in Burn-Injured Adults. J Burn Care Res. 2017 Sep Oct;38(5):312-318. PubMed PMID: 28230556
• Boe DM, Boule LA, Kovacs EJ. Innate immune responses in the ageing lung. Clin Exp Immunol. 2017 Jan;187(1):16-25. PubMed PMID: 27711979
• Chen MM, Carter SR, Curtis BJ, O'Halloran EB, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Alcohol Modulation of the Postburn Hepatic Response. J Burn Care Res. 2017 Jan Feb;38(1):e144-e157. PubMed PMID: 26284631
• Thompson MG, Navarro F, Chitsike L, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ, Watkins SK. Alcohol exposure differentially effects anti-tumor immunity in females by altering dendritic cell function. Alcohol. 2016 Dec;57:1-8. PubMed PMID: 27916138
• Skloot GS, Busse PJ, Braman SS, Kovacs EJ, Dixon AE, Vaz Fragoso CA, Scichilone N, Prakash YS, Pabelick CM, Mathur SK, Hanania NA, Moore WC, Gibson PG, Zieman S, Ragless BB. An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report: Evaluation and Management of Asthma in the Elderly. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2016 Nov;13(11):2064-2077. PubMed PMID: 27831798
• Shults JA, Curtis BJ, Boe DM, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Ethanol intoxication prolongs post-burn pulmonary inflammation: role of alveolar macrophages. J Leukoc Biol. 2016 Nov;100(5):1037-1045. PubMed PMID: 27531926
• Yeligar SM, Chen MM, Kovacs EJ, Sisson JH, Burnham EL, Brown LA. Alcohol and lung injury and immunity. Alcohol. 2016 Sep;55:51-59. PubMed PMID: 27788778
• Cannon AR, Morris NL, Hammer AM, Curtis B, Remick DG, Yeligar SM, Poole L, Burnham EL, Wyatt TA, Molina PE, So-Armah K, Cisneros T, Wang G, Lang CH, Mandrekar P, Kovacs EJ, Choudhry MA. Alcohol and inflammatory responses: Highlights of the 2015 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2016 Aug;54:73-7. PubMed PMID: 27522326
• O'Halloran EB, Curtis BJ, Afshar M, Chen MM, Kovacs EJ, Burnham EL. Alveolar macrophage inflammatory mediator expression is elevated in the setting of alcohol use disorders. Alcohol. 2016 Feb;50:43-50. PubMed PMID: 26781212
• Afshar M, Poole JA, Cao G, Durazo R, Cooper RC, Kovacs EJ, Sisson JH. Exhaled Nitric Oxide Levels Among Adults With Excessive Alcohol Consumption. Chest. 2016 Jul;150(1):196-209. PubMed PMID: 26905362
• Plackett TP, Deburghraeve CR, Palmer JL, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Effects of Estrogen on Bacterial Clearance and Neutrophil Response After Combined Burn Injury and Wound Infection. J Burn Care Res. 2016 Sep-Oct;37(5):328-33. PubMed PMID: 27058581
• Chen MM, O'Halloran EB, Shults JA, Kovacs EJ. Kupffer Cell p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Drives Postburn Hepatic Damage and Pulmonary Inflammation When Alcohol Intoxication Precedes Burn Injury. Crit Care Med. 2016 Oct;44(10):e973-9. PubMed PMID: 27322363
• Albright JM, Dunn RC, Shults JA, Boe DM, Afshar M, Kovacs EJ. Advanced Age Alters Monocyte and Macrophage Responses. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2016 Nov 20;25(15):805-815. PubMed PMID: 27357201
• Curtis BJ, Shults JA, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Remote Burn Injury Increases Pulmonary Histone Deacetylase 1 and Reduces Histone Acetylation. J Burn Care Res. 2016 Sep-Oct;37(5):321-7. PubMed PMID: 26629657
• Carter SR, Chen MM, Palmer JL, Wang L, Ramirez L, Plackett TP, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Neutrophil Accumulation in the Small Intestine Contributes to Local Tissue Destruction Following Combined Radiation and Burn Injury. J Burn Care Res. 2016 Mar-Apr;37(2):97-105. PubMed PMID: 25501789
• Plackett TP, Deburghraeve CR, Palmer JL, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Effects of Estrogen on Bacterial Clearance and Neutrophil Response After Combined Burn Injury and Wound Infection. J Burn Care Res. 2016 Sep-Oct;37(5):328-33. PubMed PMID: 27058581
• Chen MM, O'Halloran EB, Shults JA, Kovacs EJ. Kupffer Cell p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Drives Postburn Hepatic Damage and Pulmonary Inflammation When Alcohol Intoxication Precedes Burn Injury. Crit Care Med. 2016 Oct;44(10):e973-9. PubMed PMID: 27322363
• Albright JM, Dunn RC, Shults JA, Boe DM, Afshar M, Kovacs EJ. Advanced Age Alters Monocyte and Macrophage Responses. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2016 Nov 20;25(15):805-815. PubMed PMID: 27357201
• Shults JA, Curtis BJ, Boe DM, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Ethanol intoxication prolongs post-burn pulmonary inflammation: role of alveolar macrophages. J Leukoc Biol. 2016 Nov;100(5):1037-1045. PubMed PMID: 27531926
• Carter SR, Chen MM, Palmer JL, Wang L, Ramirez L, Plackett TP, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Neutrophil Accumulation in the Small Intestine Contributes to Local Tissue Destruction Following Combined Radiation and Burn Injury. J Burn Care Res. 2016 Mar-Apr;37(2):97-105. PubMed PMID: 25501789
• Shults JA, Curtis BJ, Chen MM, O'Halloran EB, Ramirez L, Kovacs EJ. Impaired respiratory function and heightened pulmonary inflammation in episodic binge ethanol intoxication and burn injury. Alcohol. 2015 Nov;49(7):713-20. PubMed PMID: 26364264
• Gould L, Abadir P, Brem H, Carter M, Conner-Kerr T, Davidson J, DiPietro L, Falanga V, Fife C, Gardner S, Grice E, Harmon J, Hazzard WR, High KP, Houghton P, Jacobson N, Kirsner RS, Kovacs EJ, Margolis D, McFarland Horne F, Reed MJ, Sullivan DH, Thom S, Tomic-Canic M, Walston J, Whitney JA, Williams J, Zieman S, Schmader K. Chronic wound repair and healing in older adults: current status and future research. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015 Mar;63(3):427-38. PubMed PMID: 25753048
• Plackett TP, Ton-That HH, Mueller J, Grimley KM, Kovacs EJ, Esposito TJ. Screening for at-risk drinking behavior in trauma patients. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2015 Jun;115(6):376-82. PubMed PMID: 26024331
• Boe DM, Curtis BJ, Chen MM, Ippolito JA, Kovacs EJ. Extracellular traps and macrophages: new roles for the versatile phagocyte. J Leukoc Biol. 2015 Jun;97(6):1023-35. PubMed PMID: 25877927
• Gould L, Abadir P, Brem H, Carter M, Conner-Kerr T, Davidson J, DiPietro L, Falanga V, Fife C, Gardner S, Grice E, Harmon J, Hazzard WR, High KP, Houghton P, Jacobson N, Kirsner RS, Kovacs EJ, Margolis D, McFarland Horne F, Reed MJ, Sullivan DH, Thom S, Tomic-Canic M, Walston J, Whitney J, Williams J, Zieman S, Schmader K. Chronic wound repair and healing in older adults: current status and future research. Wound Repair Regen. 2015 Jan-Feb;23(1):1-13. PubMed PMID: 25486905
• Chen MM, O'Halloran EB, Ippolito JA, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Alcohol potentiates postburn remote organ damage through shifts in fluid compartments mediated by bradykinin. Shock. 2015 Jan;43(1):80-4. PubMed PMID: 25243425
• Plackett TP, Gregory MS, Kovacs EJ. Effects of High Estrogen Levels on Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 and Wound Healing. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2015 Feb 1;4(2):92-99. PubMed PMID: 25713751
• Morris NL, Ippolito JA, Curtis BJ, Chen MM, Friedman SL, Hines IN, Haddad GE, Chang SL, Brown LA, Waldschmidt TJ, Mandrekar P, Kovacs EJ, Choudhry MA. Alcohol and inflammatory responses: summary of the 2013 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2015 Feb;49(1):1-6. PubMed PMID: 25468277
• Hammer AM, Morris NL, Cannon AR, Shults JA, Curtis B, Casey CA, Sueblinvong V, Persidsky Y, Nixon K, Brown LA, Waldschmidt T, Mandrekar P, Kovacs EJ, Choudhry MA. Summary of the 2014 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2015 Dec;49(8):767-72. PubMed PMID: 26520175
• Brubaker AL, Carter SR, Kovacs EJ. Experimental Approaches to Tissue Injury and Repair in Advanced Age. Methods Mol Biol. 2015;1343:35-51. PubMed PMID: 26420707
• Chen MM, Zahs A, Brown MM, Ramirez L, Turner JR, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. An alteration of the gut-liver axis drives pulmonary inflammation after intoxication and burn injury in mice. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2014 Oct 1;307(7):G711-8. PubMed PMID: 25104501
• Lord JM, Midwinter MJ, Chen YF, Belli A, Brohi K, Kovacs EJ, Koenderman L, Kubes P, Lilford RJ. The systemic immune response to trauma: an overview of pathophysiology and treatment. Lancet. 2014 Oct 18;384(9952):1455-65. PubMed PMID: 25390327
• Lowery EM, Kuhlmann EA, Mahoney EL, Dilling DF, Kliethermes SA, Kovacs EJ. Heavy alcohol use in lung donors increases the risk for primary graft dysfunction. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2014 Nov;38(11):2853-61. PubMed PMID: 25421520
• Chen MM, Zahs A, Chang SL, Kovacs EJ. Street smarts of science for students. Nat Immunol. 2014 Nov;15(11):997-9. PubMed PMID: 25329178
• Curtis BJ, Hlavin S, Brubaker AL, Kovacs EJ, Radek KA. Episodic binge ethanol exposure impairs murine macrophage infiltration and delays wound closure by promoting defects in early innate immune responses. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2014 May;38(5):1347-55. PubMed PMID: 24689549
• Rendon JL, Li X, Brubaker AL, Kovacs EJ, Gamelli RL, Choudhry MA. The role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor in interleukin-23-dependent restoration of interleukin-22 following ethanol exposure and burn injury. Ann Surg. 2014 Mar;259(3):582-90. PubMed PMID: 23989051
• Fisichella PM, Reder NP, Gagermeier J, Kovacs EJ. Usefulness of pH monitoring in predicting the survival status of patients with scleroderma awaiting lung transplantation. J Surg Res. 2014 Jun 15;189(2):232-7. PubMed PMID: 24726692
• Reder NP, Davis CS, Kovacs EJ, Fisichella PM. The diagnostic value of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and detection of pepsin and bile acids in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and exhaled breath condensate for identifying lung transplantation patients with GERD-induced aspiration. Surg Endosc. 2014 Jun;28(6):1794-800. PubMed PMID: 24414458
• Chen MM, Palmer JL, Plackett TP, Deburghgraeve CR, Kovacs EJ. Age-related differences in the neutrophil response to pulmonary pseudomonas infection. Exp Gerontol. 2014 Jun;54:42-6. PubMed PMID: 24398045
• Qin Y, Hamilton JL, Bird MD, Chen MM, Ramirez L, Zahs A, Kovacs EJ, Makowski L. Adipose inflammation and macrophage infiltration after binge ethanol and burn injury. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2014 Jan;38(1):204-13. PubMed PMID: 23909743
• Lehnert M, Kovacs EJ, Molina PE, Relja B. Modulation of inflammation by alcohol exposure. Mediators Inflamm. 2014;2014:283756. PubMed PMID: 24648659
• Carter SR, Zahs A, Palmer JL, Wang L, Ramirez L, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Intestinal barrier disruption as a cause of mortality in combined radiation and burn injury. Shock. 2013 Oct;40(4):281-9. PubMed PMID: 24045418
• Brubaker AL, Kovacs EJ. G-CSF enhances resolution of Staphylococcus aureus wound infection in an age-dependent manner. Shock. 2013 Oct;40(4):327-33. PubMed PMID: 23856924
• Chen MM, Bird MD, Zahs A, Deburghgraeve C, Posnik B, Davis CS, Kovacs EJ. Pulmonary inflammation after ethanol exposure and burn injury is attenuated in the absence of IL-6. Alcohol. 2013 May;47(3):223-9. PubMed PMID: 23462222
• Burnham EL, Kovacs EJ, Davis CS. Pulmonary cytokine composition differs in the setting of alcohol use disorders and cigarette smoking. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2013 Jun 15;304(12):L873-82. PubMed PMID: 23605000
• Fisichella PM, Davis CS, Lowery E, Ramirez L, Gamelli RL, Kovacs EJ. Aspiration, localized pulmonary inflammation, and predictors of early-onset bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation. J Am Coll Surg. 2013 Jul;217(1):90-100; discussion 100-1. PubMed PMID: 23628225
• Ippolito JA, Curtis BJ, Choudhry MA, Kovacs EJ. Alcohol and immunology: Summary of the 2012 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting. Alcohol. 2013 Dec;47(8):589-93. PubMed PMID: 24169087
• Davis CS, Mendez BM, Flint DV, Pelletiere K, Lowery E, Ramirez L, Love RB, Kovacs EJ, Fisichella PM. Pepsin concentrations are elevated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis after lung transplantation. J Surg Res. 2013 Dec;185(2):e101-8. PubMed PMID: 23845868
• Curtis BJ, Zahs A, Kovacs EJ. Epigenetic targets for reversing immune defects caused by alcohol exposure. Alcohol Res. 2013;35(1):97-113. PubMed PMID: 24313169
• Lowery EM, Brubaker AL, Kuhlmann E, Kovacs EJ. The aging lung. Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:1489-96. PubMed PMID: 24235821