Kris Chadee
Professor, Department of MIID
Faculty Member
BSc (Hons)
MSc
PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow - Infectious Diseases
Contact information
Web presence
Research and teaching
Research areas
- Immune modulation by protozoan parasites
Biography
Dr. Kris Chadee is professor of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine. He is Past Chair Gastrointestinal Research Group (2007-2012); Graduate Director GEC Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases (2008-present). Dr. Chadee was previously Assistant Professor at McGill University (1987); Tenured Associate Professor at McGill University (1991); and Associate Director/Professor McGill University (2001). In 2005, he moved to Calgary to become a Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1), in Gastrointestinal Inflammation at the University of Calgary.
Dr. Chadee obtained his BSc (Hons, 1977) and MSc (1981) both from the University of Manitoba and then went on to receive a PhD from McGill University (1985). He did a PDF at the University of Virginia (1985-1987) in Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Chadee’s research projects are aimed at understand the mechanisms whereby infectious agents, lipid mediators of inflammation and cytokines modulate innate, immune and mucosal epithelial cell functions. Of particular interest to our group is the emerging concept that cross-talk between pathogen components and host cells or both, can predetermine the outcome of inflammatory or host defense mechanisms. Consistent with this concept, our program of research is divided into three areas as follows: 1. To define the biochemical and molecular interactions by which the mucosal pathogen, Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites or its components can modulate epithelial barrier function in the gut. 2. To determine the molecular mechanisms by which PGE2 regulates inflammatory gene expression and protein production in human colonic epithelial cells, and 3. To define the cellular and molecular basis by which E. histolytica virulent components (Gal-lectin and cysteine proteinases) can modulate innate host defenses.
Current projects currently underway in Dr. Chadee’s lab are: Modeling E. histolytica infection in the gut; Gastrointestinal permeability and susceptibility to infection in Muc2 deficiency; Colonic MUC2 structure and function in infectious diseases; and Role of MUC2 mucin in inflammatory bowel diseases.
His research is funded by: NSERC, CCFC, CRC and CIHR.
Awards
Awards: NSERC-URF (1987-1996)
CAG Research Excellence Award (2005)
CSZ Wardle Award (2005)
CIHR CRC Tier 1 Chair (2005-2012; 2012-renewal)
NIH Service Award (2012)