Sandra Wells, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health 

Professional Summary

• 2009-Present Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
• 2004-2008 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
• 1997-2003 Clinical Research and Medical Affairs Scientist, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA
• 1996-1997 Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Block Drug Company, Inc,, Jersey City, NJ
• 1994-1995 Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, NIAID, NIH

Education

• Ph.D. Microbiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1994
• B.S. Biology, Gonzaga University, 1990
  

Research Interest & Projects

My research is focused on determining the causes and mechanisms of lung disease. In my laboratory, we are currently working on two major projects. In the first project, we are exploring the role of arginine metabolism in the development and progression of respiratory diseases such as asthma. The second project focuses on determining the health effects related to environmental exposure to methamphetamine. In both projects, we utilize in vitro and in vivo (rodent) models with the goal of translating findings from these studies to the clinical setting.  

Selected Publications

• Wells, S.M., Noonan, C., Wells, K.M., Holian, A., Wibbenmeyer, L.A. (2009) Effects of toxic gases: methamphetamine inhalation. J. Burn Care Res. 30(1):152.
• Wells, S.M., Buford, M.C., Migliaccio, C.T., Holian, A. (2009) Elevated asymmetric dimethylarginine alters lung function and induces collagen deposition in mice. Am. J. Respir. Cell. Mol. Biol. 40(2):179.
• Wells, S.M., Buford, M.C., Braseth, S.N., Hutchison, J.D., Holian, A. (2008) Acute inhalation exposure to vaporized methamphetamine causes lung injury in mice. Inhal. Tox. 20(9):829.
• Sud, N., Wells, S.M., Sharma, S., Wiseman, D.A., Wilham, J., Black, S.M. (2008) Asymmetric dimethylarginine inhibits HSP90 activity in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells: role of mitochondrial dysfunction. Am. J. Physiol. Cell. Physiol. 294(6):C1407.
• Wells, S.M., Holian, A. (2007) Asymmetric dimethylarginine induces oxidative and nitrosative stress in murine lung epithelial cells. Am. J. Respir. Cell. Mol. Biol. 36(5):520.

Professional Affiliations

• American Association for the Advancement of Science
• American Thoracic Society
• New York Academy of Sciences
• Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine