Kulkarni Lab

Lab group photo at a gathering. Gathered at Dr. Kulkarni's backyard for a happy hour

Our vision is to revolutionize respiratory health by harnessing what is made in our lungs.

We are dedicated to pioneering innovative solutions that significantly reduce the severity of lung injury, including that caused by pneumonia and complications from transplantation. Through our commitment to cutting-edge research, collaboration, training and mentoring, we strive to improve the quality of life for patients worldwide, ensuring that every breath counts.

Research

Enhancing Mucosal Immunity

Enhancing Mucosal Immunity

Improving Transplant Outcomes

Improving Transplant Outcomes

Reducing Pneumonia Burden

Reducing Pneumonia Burden

OverviewOverview

News

Alberto E. Lopez, PhD Receives Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program Award

Alberto E. Lopez, PhD Receives Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program Award

Jul 20, 2026
Year 5. July 20. It’s All About the Pipeline! | Department of Medicine Blog

Uncategorized
Undergraduate Student Marcy Mazin receives the Biomedical Research Summer Scholarship 2026

Undergraduate Student Marcy Mazin receives the Biomedical Research Summer Scholarship 2026

Jun 1, 2026
Uncategorized
Postdocs present their work at 2025 Gordon Conference

Postdocs present their work at 2025 Gordon Conference

Feb 22, 2026

Dr. Alberto Lopez and Dr.John Sanchez were invited to present their work at the 2026 Gordon Research Conference on the Biology of Acute Respiratory Infection

Lopez AE , Earhart AP, Hernandez JI , Sanchez JM , Hyun J, Alburquerque RA, Starick M, Nallapu A, Garnica L, Ozanturk AN, Haspel JA, Chavez D, Suthakaran S, Hook J, Kulkarni HS. The C3a-C3aR axis modulates alveolar macrophage reprogramming. 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Biology of Acute Respiratory Infection. February 22-27, 2026. Pomona, CA.

Uncategorized
The Kulkarni Lab at the installation of the Dr. Allan Swartz and Roslyn Holt Swartz Endowed Chair

The Kulkarni Lab at the installation of the Dr. Allan Swartz and Roslyn Holt Swartz Endowed Chair

Dec 9, 2025
Installation of Hrishikesh S. Kulkarni, M.D. as the inaugural holder of the Dr. Allan J. Swartz and Roslyn Holt Swartz Women’s Lung Health Endowed Chair.
Uncategorized
More NewsMore News

Publications

Terada Y, Takahashi T, Pasque MK, Kulkarni HS, Vazquez-Guillamet R, Byers DE, Witt CA, Nava RG, Kozower BD, Meyers BF, Patterson GA, Kreisel D, Puri V, Hachem RR. Impact of Era on Acute Cellular Rejection After Lung Transplantation.Transpl Int. 2025;38:14534. doi: 10.3389/ti.2025.14534. eCollection 2025. PubMed PMID: 40862278; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12375509.

Costa Monteiro AC, Pickering H, Sarma A, Taylor CS, Jenkins MM, Hsu FM, Nadel B, Levy O, Baden LR, Melamed E, Ehrlich LIR, McComsey GA, Sekaly RP, Cairns CB, Haddad EK, Shaw AC, Hafler DA, Montgomery RR, Corry DB, Kheradmand F, Atkinson MA, Brakenridge SC, Higuita NIA, Metcalf JP, Hough CL, Messer WB, Pulendran B, Nadeau KC, Davis MM, Geng LN, Fernandez-Sesma A, Simon V, Krammer F, Kraft M, Bime C, Calfee CS, Erle DJ, Bosinger S, Eckalbar W, Maecker H, Rahman A, Guan L, Peters B, Kleinstein SH, Augustine AD, Diray-Arce J, Becker PM, Rouphael N, IMPACC Network, CAFPINT Site investigators of the PALISI Network, Agus M, Kulkarni H, Schaenmann JM, Salehi-Rad R, Matthay MA, Reed EF, Sapru A. Circulating endothelial signatures correlate with worse outcomes in COVID-19, respiratory failure and ARDS. Crit Care. 2025 Oct 14;29(1):432. doi: 10.1186/s13054-025-05596-0. PubMed PMID: 41088445; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12522733.

Key Publications

Inman K, Chernus J, Lee M, Alder JK, Shah FA, Mayr FB, Dempsey T, Nouraie SM, Dela Cruz C, Ferreira VP, Kulkarni HS, Meyer NJ, Strollo PJ, Feingold E, Bain W. Genetic Variation in the Alternative Complement Pathway Contributes to Individual Susceptibility to Bacteremia and Sepsis. Crit Care Explor. 2025 Nov 1;7(11):e1339. doi: 10.1097/CCE.0000000000001339. eCollection 2025 Nov 1. PubMed PMID: 41165296; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12574529.

Key Publications

Sanchez JM, Kulkarni HS. Think Locally, Act Globally: Resolving the Peripheral Immune Milieu in Bacterial Pneumonia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2025 Dec;211(12):2242-2244. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202508-1838ED. PubMed PMID: 41052465; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12700229.

Reviews

Kulkarni HS, Tague LK, Calabrese DR, Liao F, Liu Z, Garnica L, Shankar NR, Wu X, Kulkarni DH, Thapa A, Zhou D, Tao Y, Davis VE, Bernardt CT, Byers DE, Chen C, Huang HJ, Witt CA, Hachem RR, Kreisel D, Atkinson JP, Greenland JR, Gelman AE. Impaired complement regulation drives chronic lung allograft dysfunction after lung transplantation. J Clin Invest. 2026 Jan 2;136(1). doi: 10.1172/JCI188891. eCollection 2026 Jan 2. PubMed PMID: 41217841; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC12721912.

Key Publications
VIEW MOREVIEW MORE
VIEW MOREVIEW MORE