William Calhoun, M.D. Dr. Calhoun

Sealy and Smith Distinguished Professor, Director: Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, Immunology, Critical Care and Sleep (APICS), Department of Internal Medicine

Phone: (409) 772-2436

Research Interests

Dr. Calhoun studies mechanisms of asthma, with a special emphasis on steroid resistance and severe asthma.  A focus of his research is dysfunction of the glucocorticoid receptor [GR] in asthma, from both pre- and post-translational mechanisms.  In addition, he has interest in cytokine networking, and the regulation of inflammation and its consequences by anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10.  Using a murine model, Drs Calhoun and Ameredes have demonstrated important interactions among inflammation, cytokine regulation, and gaseous signaling molecules.  In addition, Dr Calhoun heads the UTMB site for the NIH-funded Asthma Clinical Research Network, a collaborative network of 8 funded centers nationwide that focuses on the key questions of asthma management.

Selected Publications

  1. Erdely A, Kepka-Lenhart D, Clark M, Zeidler-Erdely P, Poljakovic M, Calhoun W.J., Morris SM Jr. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase 4 amplifies cytokine-dependent induction of arginase in macrophages. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 290(3): L534-9, 2006. Epub Oct. 2005.
  2. Zeidler-Erdely, P.C., Calhoun, W.J., Ameredes, B.T., Clark, M.P., Deye, G.J., Baron, P., Jones, W., Blake, T., Castranova, V. RE: In vitro cytotoxicity of Manville Code 100 glass fibers: effect of fiber length on human alveolar macrophages. Particle and Fiber Toxicology 28: 3:5, 2006.
  3. Ameredes, B.T., Calhoun, W.J. Rebuttal by Drs. Ameredes and Calhoun. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 174(9):972-4, 2006.
  4. Ameredes, B.T., Calhoun, W.J. (R)-Albuterol for Asthma: Pro [a.k.a. (S)-Albuterol for Asthma: Con]. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 174(9):965-9, 2006.
  5. Ogawa,Y., Calhoun, W.J. The role of leukotrienes in airway inflammation. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 118(4):789-98, 2006.
  6. Moore, W.C., Bleecker, E.R., Curran-Everett, D., Erzurum, S.C., Ameredes, B.T., Bacharier, L., Calhoun, W.J., Castro, M., Chung, K.F., Clark, M.P., Dweik, R.A., Fitzpatrick, A.M., Gaston, B., Hew, M. Hussain, I., Jarjour, N.N., Israel, E., Levy, B.D., Murphy, J.R., Peters, S.P., Teague, W.G., Meyers, D.A., Busse, W.W., Wenzel, S.E. Characterization of the Severe Asthma Phenotype by the NHLBI’s Severe Asthma Research Program. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 119(2): 405-13, Feb, 2007.
  7. Atanasov, S.T., Calhoun, W.J. The Relationship between Sleep and Asthma. J Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2: 9-18, 2007.
  8. Wenzel, S.E., Busse W., Calhoun, W.J., Panettiere Jr., R., Peters-Golden, M., Dube L., Walton-Bowen, K., Russel H., Harris J. The Safety and Efficacy of Zileuton Controlled-Release (CR) Tablets as Adjunctive Therapy to Usual Care (UC) in the Treatment of Moderate Persistent Asthma: A 6-Month Randomized Controlled Study. J Asthma. 44(4): 305-310,  2007
  9. Baumgartner, R.A., Hanania, N.A.Calhoun, W.J., Sahn, S.A., Sciarappa, K., Hanrahan, J.P.  Nebulized Arformoterol in Patients with COPD:  A Twelve Week, Multi-center, Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy, Placebo and Active-Controlled Trial. Clin Therapeutics.  29(2): 261-278, 2007
  10. Wenzel, S.E., Balzar, S., Ampleford, E., Hawkins, G.A., Busse, W.W., Calhoun, W.J., Castro, M., Chung, F., Erzurum, S., Gaston, B., Israel, E., Teague, W.G., Everett, D., Meyers, D.A, Bleecker, E.R. IL-4Ra Mutations are associated with Asthma Exacerbations and Tissue Mast Cell/IgE Expression. Am J Respir Crit Care Med.  175: 570-576, 2007
  11. Brasier, A.R, Victor, S., Boetticher, G.D., Ju, H, Lee, C., Bleecker, E.R., Castro, M., Busse, W.W., Calhoun W.J.  Molecular Phenotyping of Severe Asthma Using Pattern Recognition of Bronchoalveolar Lavage-Derived Cytokines.  2007, J. Allergy Clin. Immun., in press.