Office of Research: Faculty

Dr. Olson’s laboratory is involved in elucidating the mechanisms by which proteolysis is regulated in biological systems by a large superfamily of proteins known as the serpins. The human genome encodes thirty four members of the family most of which are known to regulate protease cascades in key physiologic processes including blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, inflammation, immune surveillance and apoptosis. A particular focus of his research is in elucidating the mechanisms of regulation of hemostasis and wound healing by the serpins, antithrombin and protein Z-dependent protease inhibitor (ZPI), and of programmed cell death by the serpins, crmA and spi2A. Dr. Olson and his lab members are additionally investigating the role of serpins in cancer, with a focus on antithrombin, an established inhibitor of angiogenesis and therefore a potential antagonist of tumor growth, as well as maspin, a tumor suppressor protein which is downregulated in many cancers.