Biographical Sketch

Research

My translational research projects are in the area of pathogenesis of asthma and health-care delivery issues in asthma. We have a dedicated unit of translational research faculty, coordinators, scientists, and biostatisticians in our Asthma and Airway Translational Research Unit (AATRU) as part of the Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences (ICTS) at Washington University. In the AATRU, we have a prospective cohort study, called the Respiratory synctial virus (RSV) Bronchiolitis in Early Life (RBEL) study, sponsored by the NIH, which is seeking to understand the genetic, biologic, and immunologic determinants of asthma in infants hospitalized with RSV bronchiolitis. We also have a study in Airway Remodeling in Severe Asthma grant, sponsored by the NIH, which is seeking to understand the molecular basis for airway remodeling in children and adults with severe asthma and how it differs from mild-to-moderate asthma. We are also studying how sickle cell anemia may be complicated by asthma in a NIH sponsored project called Asthma and Nocturnal Hypoxemia in Sickle Cell Anemia. Our laboratory runs the Clinical Core of a NIH sponsored Asthma and Allergic Diseases Cooperative Research Centers (AADCRC) grant on the Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Asthma at Washington University School of Medicine. We also have an American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Center (ACRC) and NIH sponsored Asthma Clinical Research Network (ACRN) center which aim to conduct large multicenter studies to develop new approaches to asthma management and treatment. Lastly, we have a grant from the CDC and The St. Louis Asthma Regional Consortium focusing on improving how asthma care is delivered in the primary care setting.

Publications

1. Bradley J, Tegtmeier L, Jenkerson M, Robertson L, Bacharier L, Schechtman KB, Strunk R, Castro M. Severity of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis is affected by cigarette smoke exposure and atopy. Pediatrics, 2005; 115:7-14.

2. Moonie S, Strunk RC, Crocker S, Curtis V, Schechtman K, Castro M. Community Asthma Program improves appropriate prescribing in moderate to severe asthma. J Asthma, 2005:42: 281-289.

3. Comhair SAA, Ricci K, Arroliga M, Lara AR, Dweik RA, Song W, Hazen SL, Bleecker ER, Busse WW, Chung KF, Gaston B, Hastie A, Hew M, Jarjour N, Moore W, Peters S, Teague WG, Wenzel SE, Erzurum SC, for the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - Castro M. Correlation of systemic superoxide dismutase deficiency to airflow obstruction in asthma . Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005; 172:306-313.

4. Busse W, Wanner A, Adams K, Reynolds HY, Castro M, Chowdhury B, Kraft M, Levine RJ, Peters SP, Sullivan EJ. Investigative bronchoprovocation and bronchoscopy in airway diseases - NHLBI/NIAID Workshop. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005; 172:807-816.

5. Levy BD, Bonnans C, Silverman ES, Palmer LJ, Marigowda G, Israel E for the Severe Asthma Research Program, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute – Castro M. Diminished lipoxin biosynthesis in severe asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005; 172:824-830.

6. Moonie SA, Sterling DA, Figgs L, Castro M. Asthma status and severity affects missed school days. J School Health, 2006; 76(1):18-24.

7. Tyner JW, Kim EY, Ide K, Pelletier MR, Roswit WT, Morton JD, Battaile JT, Patel AC, Patterson GA, Castro M, Spoor MS, You Y, Brody SL, Holtzman MJ. Blocking airway mucous cell metaplasia by inhibiting EGFR anti-apoptosis and IL-13 transdifferentiation signals. J. Clin. Invest, 2006;116:309–321; doi:10.1172/JCI25167.

8. Hanania NA, Atmar R, Castro M. Influenza vaccine in patients with asthma. Expert Rev of Vaccines, 2006; 5(1):111-118.

9. Lima JJ, Holbrook JT, Wang J, Sylvester JE, Blake KV, Blumenthal MN, Castro M, Hanania N, Wise R for The American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Centers. The C523A b2 adrenergic receptor polymorphism influences markers of asthma severity in African Americans.” J Asthma, 2006; 43:185-191.

10. Mikols CL, Yan L, Norris JY, Russell TD, Khalifah AP, Hachem RR, Chakinala MM, Yusen RD, Castro M, Kuo E, Patterson GA, Mohanakumar T, Trulock EP, Walter MJ. Il-12 p80 is an innate epithelial cell effector that mediates chronic allograft dysfunction. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 2006; 174:461-470.

11. Goo JM, Kim KG, Gierada DS, Castro M, Bae KT. Volumetric Measurement of Lung Nodules at MDCT: Effect of Changes in Lung Volume. Korean J Radiol, 2006;7:243-248.

12. McCoy K, Shade DM, Irvin CG, Mastronarde JG, Hanania NA, Castro M, Anthonisen NR, for the ALA ACRC. Predicting episodes of poor asthma control in treated asthmatics. J Allerg Clin Immunol. 2006; 118:1226-1233.

13. Moore WC, Bleecker ER, Curran-Everett D, Erzurum SC, Ameredes BT, Bacharier L, Calhoun WJ, Castro M, Chung KF, Clark MP, Dweik RA, Fitzpatrick AM, Gaston B, Hew M, Hussain I, Jarjour NN, Israel E, Levy BD, Murphy JR, Peters SP, Teague WG, Meyers DA, Busse WW, and Wenzel SE, for the NHLBI SARP. Characterization of the Severe Asthma Phenotype by the NHLBI Severe Asthma Research Program. J Allerg Clin Immunol. 2007;119:405-413.

14. Irvin C, Kaminsky DA, Anthonisen N, Castro M, Hanania N, Holbrook J, Lima J, Wise R for The American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Center. Clinical Trial of Low-Dose Theophylline and Montelukast in Patients with Poorly Controlled Asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 2007; 175:235-242.

15. Wenzel SE, Balzar, S, Ampleford E, Hawkins GA, Busse WW, Calhoun WJ, Castro M, Chung KF, Erzurum S, Gaston B, Israel E, Teague EG, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER. IL-4R Mutations are associated with asthma exacerbations, airway obstruction, tissue mast cells/IgE expression and racial background. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 2007;175:570-576.

16. Cohen L, E X, Horiuchi TK, Tarsi J, Thiruvamoor R, Cochran R, DeMartino S, Schechtman KB, Hussain I, Holtzman MJ, Castro M and the NHLBI Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). Epithelial cell proliferation contributes to airway remodeling in severe asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007, 176:138-145.

17. Gaga M, Zervas E, Grivas S, Castro M, Chanez P. Evaluation and management of severe asthma. Curr Med Chem. 2007; 14(9):1049-59.

18. Peters SP, Anthonisen N, Castro M, Holbrook JT, Irvin C, Smith L, Wise RA, for the American Lung Association's Asthma Clinical Research Centers (ALA-ACRC). Randomized comparison of strategies for reducing treatment in mild persistent asthma. N Engl J Med, 2007;356:2027-39.

19. Chanez P, Wenzel SE, Anderson GP, Anto JM, Bel EH, Boulet L-P, Brightling CE, Busse WW, Castro M, Dahlen B, Dahlen SE, Fabbri LM, Holgate ST, Humbert M, Gaga M, Joos, GF, Levy B, Rabe KF, Sterk PJ, Wilson SJ, Vachier I. Severe asthma in adults: what are the important questions? J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007; 119:1337-48.

20. Peters SP, Castro M, Holbrook JT. Correspondence: Reducing asthma treatment. N Engl J Med 2007, 357(5): 505-506.

21. Au DH, Castro M, Krishnan JA. Selection of Controls in Clinical Trials: Introduction and conference summary. Proc Am Thorac Soc 2007; 4:567-569.

22. Castro M. Placebo vs best available therapy control group in clinical trials for pharmacologic therapies – which is better? Proc Am Thorac Soc 2007, 4:570-573.

23. Pavord ID, Cox G, Thomson NC, Rubin AS, Corris PA, Niven RM, Chung KF, Laviolette M, and the RISA Trial Study Group (Castro M). Safety and efficacy of bronchial thermoplasty in symptomatic, severe asthma. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007, 176:1185-1191.

24. Craig T, King TS, Lemanske RF, Wechsler ME, Icitovic N, Zimmerman RR, Wasserman S, and National Heart Lung Blood Institute Asthma Clinic Research Network (Castro M). Aeroallergen sensitization correlates with PC20 and exhaled nitric oxide in mild to moderate asthma subjects. J Allergy Clin Immuno 2007: doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2007.12.1153

25. Moonie S, Sterling DA, Figgs LW, Castro M. The relationship between school absence, academic performance and asthma status. J School Health 2008, 78(3):140-148.

26. Brasier AR, Victor S, Boetticher G, Ju H, Lee C, Bleecker ER, Castro M, Busse WW, Calhoun WJ. Molecular phenotyping of severe asthma: Informative cytokine patterns in bronchoalveolar lavage. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008: 121:30-7.

27. Sorkness RL, Bleecker ER, Busse WW, Curran-Everett D, Calhoun WJ, Castro M, Chung KF, Erzurum SC, Gaston BM, Israel E, Jarjour NN, Moore WC, Peters SP, Teague WG, Wenzel SE, for the NHLBI Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). Lung Function in Adults with Stable but Severe Asthma: Air Trapping and Incomplete Reversal of Obstruction with Bronchodilation. J Appl Physiol 2008: 104:394-403.

28. Lima JJ, Mohapatra S, Feng H, Lockey R, Jena PK, Castro M, Irvin C, Johnson JA, Wang J, Sylvester JE. A polymorphism in the NPPA gene associates with asthma. Clin Exp All. 2008; Pg. 1-7.

Book Chapters/Reviews

1. Castro M: Ch. 27 An Overview of the Respiratory System; Ch. 28 Mechanical Aspects of Breathing; Ch. 29 Pulmonary and Bronchial Circulations and the Distribution of Ventilation and Perfusion; Ch. 30 Transport of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Between Lungs and Cells of the Body; and Ch. 31 Control of Breathing. In Principles of Physiology, 3rd ed. Eds: Berne RM, Levy MN. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, pg. 301-352; 2000.

2. Horiuchi T, Castro M: The pathobiologic implications for treatment: Old and new strategies in the treatment of chronic asthma Clinics in Chest Medicine. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders, pg. 381-395; 2000.

3. Castro M:(Assoc Ed). Asthma. In Yearbook of Pulmonary Disease 2000. Ed: Jett J. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, pg. 1-77; 2000.

4. Holtzman MJ, Castro M, Look DC, O'Sullivan M, Walter MJ: Regulation of epithelial-leukocyte interaction and epithelial immune response genes. Asthma and Rhinitis, 2nd Ed, Eds: Busse W, Holgate S. Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Scientific, pg. 784-800, 2000.

5. Castro M. Ch. 40 Asthma-Pathophysiology, Ch. 42 Asthma-Treatment. In Yearbook of Medicine 2000. Eds: Barkin JS, Frishman WH, Jett JR, Klahr S, Loehrer PJ, Malawista SE, Mandell GL, Mazzaferri EL. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, pg 307-311, 317-322, 2000.

6. Pittman A, Castro M. Allergy and Immunology. The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics, 30th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, pg. 241-255, 2001.

7. Castro M (Assoc Ed). Asthma. In Yearbook of Pulmonary Disease 2001. Ed: Jett J. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, pg. 1-62, 2001.

8. Castro M. Ch. 36 Asthma-General, Ch. 37 Asthma-Treatment, Ch. 38 Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis. In Yearbook of Medicine2001. Eds: Barkin JS, Frishman WH, Jett JR, Klahr S, Loehrer PJ, Malawista SE, Mandell GL, Mazzaferri EL. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, pg 307-311, 317-334, 2000.

9. Hanania NA, Castro M. Chapter 252: Asthma. Add-on therapy for asthma: Leukotriene modifiers vs. long-acting beta-agonists. Harrison’s Online. 2002. New York: McGraw-Hill (www.harrisonsonline.com).

10. Jani A, Shifren A, Grayson M, Castro M. Ch. 10 Allergy and Immunology. The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics, 31st ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2004.

11. Shifren A, Cohen L, Castro M. Ch. 9 Asthma. The Washington Manual Pulmonary Medicine Subspecialty Consult. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2006.

12. Aysola R, Castro M. Ch. 10, p.290-314. Allergy and Immunology. The Washington Manual of Medical Therapeutics, 32nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2007.

13. Aysola R, Castro M. Ch.11 Status Asthmaticus. The Washington Manual of Critical Care. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p. 63-70, 2008.

14. Castro M, Kraft M, Eds. Clinical Asthma, Philadelphia: Elsiever, 2008.

15. Lugogo N, Kraft M, Castro M. Ch. 1 Epidemiology of asthma, Clinical Asthma, Philadelphia: Elsiever, pg. 3-12, 2008.

16. Aysola R, Castro M. Ch. 18 The goals of asthma management – short and long term goals, Clinical Asthma, Philadelphia: Elsiever, pg. 159-163, 2008.