Dr. LeMaire’s basic science laboratory research—conducted in the Aortic Disease Research Lab—is currently focusing on the role of various aspects of extracellular matrix metabolism in the development of aortic aneurysms and dissections. In particular, his group is studying the roles of destructive factors, such as inflammatory cells and proteases, as well as reparative mechanisms, such as stem cell recruitment and transformation, during the development of aortic aneurysms and dissections. His lab performed novel experiments demonstrating that ciprofloxacin, a commonly prescribed fluoroquinolone antibiotic, causes severe damage to the aortic wall in susceptible mice, supporting that these drugs should be avoided in patients with or at risk for aortic aneurysms or dissections. Furthermore, his research team has conducted several studies to evaluate the safety profile of surgical adhesives, which are an important adjunct for limiting bleeding complications during aortic repairs.

In 2002, his research group initiated the Thoracic Aortic Disease Tissue Bank, which currently houses samples and corresponding phenotypic data from over 4,000 patients with thoracic aortic disease. The tissue bank has served as a core for the NIH-supported Specialized Center of Clinically Oriented Research in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms and Dissection as well as a resource for numerous collaborative studies evaluating the genetic factors and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of thoracic aortic disease.

Through an AHA Strategically Focused Vascular Research Network Award, the lab has established the Aortopathy Research Center in partnership with collaborators at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. The goal of this project is to understand how different types of cells in the aortic wall respond to stress and how these responses differ in men and women.