Dr. Vera Krymskaya

Biography

Dr. Krymskaya conducts basic translational research focusing on the role of a highly integrated signaling network merging PI3K-TSC2-mTOR in rare and common lung diseases. Her work has received recognition for the discovery of TSC2 as a functionally significant negative regulator of mTOR. In her laboratory of Rare Lung Diseases, she establishes human LAM cell cultures and performs preclinical testing to demonstrate the efficacy of rapamycin in inhibiting mTOR, which abrogates LAM cell growth. Evidence from her research paved the way for successful clinical trials leading to the FDA approval of rapamycin analogs for the treatment of LAM and TS-LAM in 2015. She discovered that TSC2 deregulates Rho GTPase, impacting LAM cell survival and mTORC2 signaling, contributing to the development of a novel mouse model for LAM. This led to a preclinical study of a novel combinational therapy in a phase 2 clinical trial to ensure the safety of combined treatment involving simvastatin and sirolimus in patients with sporadic LAM and TS-LAM, with Dr. Krymskaya serving as the Principal Investigator. Her investigation into the immunity in LAM led to the identification of PD-L1 upregulation in LAM lungs, developing a novel immunocompetent mouse model. A recent study she conducted analyzed LAM lung cell composition, laying groundwork for a novel mechanistic understanding of LAM pathobiology involving mTORC1-WNT signaling crosstalk, providing essential steps toward developing effective therapies for this devastating disease.

Research Interests

Experience