Dr. Pezzulo is physician scientist whose research focuses on implementing models of cultured primary cells obtained from people with CF and other chronic lung diseases to discover disease mechanisms. Moreover, by combining clinical data and in vitro findings, he develops assays to predict the response to treatments in a patient-specific manner. His K01 focused on how HSP90 induces the hypersecretion of mucus and metaplasia of goblet cells in CF lung disease. He hypothesizes that inhibition of HSP90 induces transdifferentiation of ciliated cells to goblet cells by blocking ERBB2/EGFR signaling, and he is testing this possibility using lineage tracing. This pathway may also be important in the production of excessive and altered mucus by the CF intestine.