Waliul I Khan

, MBBS PhD

Associate Professor
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

Division: Clinical Pathology

Clinical Chemistry/Immunology, Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program
Associate Member, Medicine
Intestinal Disease Research Program

McMaster University
3N7 Health Sciences Centre
905-521-2100 ext. 22846
khanwal@mcmaster.ca

Assistant: Jean Ogiltree

Currently accepting Graduate Students
Currently accepting Post-Doctoral Fellows

Education and Professional Standing

• PDF, McMaster University, Canada
• PDF, University of Manchester, UK
• PhD, Akita University, Japan
• MBBS, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

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Interests

Research Focus

Main Research Areas

Mucosal immunology, Intestinal inflammation, Immuno-physiology and Host defence in the context of intestinal infection/inflammation.

Specific Focus

Mucosal injury and inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is associated with activation of immune system and alteration in the intestinal physiology which includes changes in motility, mucus production and neuro-endocrine function. Using models of enteric infection and inflammation my research involves studies on interaction between immune and endocrine systems in relation to gut inflammation and host defense. I am investigating how the immune system controls endocrine system in gut particularly the function of enterochromaffin cells and serotonin production and the role of serotonin in immune activation, inflammation and host defense. I am also investigating the roles T cell subsets, cytokines, and chemokines in regulation of intestinal goblet and intestinal muscle function in the context of GI infection/inflammation in the context of host defense. In addition, my research also includes investigations on immunological strategies to modulate intestinal inflammation in experimental colitis model.

Methodologies

Cell culture, immunohistochemistry, immuno-fluorescence, lymphocyte proliferation study, ELISA, multiplex system, western blotting, flow-cytometry, physiological studies on muscle, laser capture micro-dissection and RT-PCR.

Academic Interests

Dr Khan is involved in the Medical Sciences Graduate Program and teaches the following topics:

• Infection and Immunity
• Course coordinator:

Graduate Course MS713: Integrated systems in gastrointestinal health and disease (1): Physiology and Pathophysiology of GI tract

Graduate Course MS769: Integrated systems in gastrointestinal health and disease (2): Immunology, Inflammation & Microbiology of GI tract

Dr. Khan is also involved in training post-graduate medical biochemistry residents and fellows and general pathology residents, thesis supervision within the Undergraduate Bachelor of Health Science Program and Life Science Program, and is a Faculty of Health Sciences MD/PhD Program faculty member.

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Team Members

Technical Assistants: Huaqing Wang, Atiqur Rahman

Graduate Students: Janice Kim, Sharif Shajib

Post-Doctoral Fellow: Palanivel Rengasamy

Undergraduate Students: Tahmid Zaman, Shaan Tanbir, Yashna Vaidya

 

Selected Publications

• N. Li, J.E Ghia, H. Wang, J. McClemens, F. Cote Y. Suehiro, J. Mallet & W. I. Khan(2011).  Serotonin activates dendritic cell function in the context of gut inflammation.  Am  J  Pathol. 178:662-71
• D. K. Fritz, C. Kerr, R. Fattouh, A. Llop-Guevara, W. I. Khan, M. Jordana & C. D. Richards (2011).  A Mouse Model of Airway Disease: Oncostatin M-Induced Pulmonary Eosinophilia, Goblet Cell Hyperplasia, and Airway Hyperresponsiveness Are STAT6 Dependent, and Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis Is STAT6 Independent.  J Immunol. 186:1107-18
• S. Husain, H. Wang, J. Ghia, N. Has, Y. Deng, R. K.  Grencis, A. Velcich, DJ Thornton & W. I. Khan (2010). Muc2 Gene Deficiency in Mice Impairs Host Resistance to Enteric Parasitic Infection.  Gastroenterology 138:1763-71
• W. I. Khan & J. E. Ghia (2010).  Gut hormones: emerging role in immune avtivation and inflammation.  Clinical & Experimental Immunology 161:19-27

• J. E. Ghia, Nan Li, H. Wang, M. Collins, Y. Deng, R. T. El-Sharkawy, F. Cote, J. Mallet & W. I. Khan (2009) Serotonin plays a key role in pathogenesis in experimental colitis.  Gastroenterology 137:1649-60
• S. Zhang, D. Bernard, W.I. Khan, M.H. Kaplan, J.L. Bramson & Y. Wan. (2009). CD4+ T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity can be uncoupled from autoimmunity via the STAT4/STAT6 signalling axis. Eur J Immunol. 39: 1252-1259.
• J.E. Ghia, P. Blennerhassett, Y. Deng, E.F. Verdu, W.I. Khan & S.M. Collins. (2009). Re-activation of inflammatory bowel disease in a mouse model of depression. Gastroenterology 136: 2280-2288.
• Y. Motomura, H. Wang, Y. Deng, R.T. El-Sharkawy, E.F. Verdu  & W.I. Khan. (2009). Helminth antigen based strategy to ameliorate inflammation in experimental model of colitis. Clinical & Experimental Immunology 155: 88-95.
• Y. Motomura, J. Ghia, H. Wang, H. Akiho, R. T. El-Sharkawy, M.Collins, Y.Wan, J. T. McLaughlin & W. I. Khan (2008). Enterochromaffin cell and 5-hydroxytryptamine responses to the same infectious agent differ in Th1 and Th2 dominant environments. Gut 57:475-81.
• H. Wang, J. Steeds, Y. Motomura, Y. Deng, M. Verma-Gandhu, R. El-Sharkawy, J. McLaughlin, R. K. Grencis & W. I. Khan (2007). CD4+ T cell-mediated immunological control of enterochromaffin cell hyperplasia and 5-hydroxytryptamine production in enteric infection. Gut. 56: 949-57
• W. I. Khan, Y. Motomura, H. Wang, R. T. El-Sharkawy, E. F. Verdu, M. Verma-Gandhu, B. J. Rollins & S. M. Collins (2006). Critical Role of MCP-1 in the Pathogenesis of Experimental Colitis in the Context of Immune and Enterochromaffin Cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 291:G803-11
• W. I. Khan & S. M. Collins (2006) Gut motor function: Immunological control in intestinal infection and inflammation. Clinical & Experimental Immunology 143:389-97
• Y. Motomura, W. I. Khan, R. T. El-Sharkawy, M. Verma-Gandhu, E. F Verdu, J. Gauldie & S. M. Collins (2006). Induction of a fibrogenic response in mouse colon by overexpression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in the gut. Gut 55:662-70.
• W. I. Khan, Y. Motomura, P. A. Blennerhassett, A. K. Varghese, J. Gauldie & S. M. Collins (2005). CD40-CD40 ligand interaction plays a critical role in the development of intestinal muscle hypercontractility and host immunity during nematode infection. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 288:G15-22

• W. I. Khan, M. Richard, H. Akiho, P. A. Blennerhasset, N. Humphreys, R. K. Grencis, J. Van-Snick & S. M. Collins (2003). Modulation of intestinal muscle contractility by IL-9 or anti-IL-9: correlation with worm expulsion in nematode infections. Infection & Immunity 71: 2330-8
• W. I. Khan, P. A. Blennerhasset, A. K. Varghese, S. K. Chowdhury & S. M. Collins (2002). Intestinal nematode infection ameliorates experimental colitis. Infection & Immunity 70:5931-7
• W. I. Khan, P. Blennerhasset, Y. Deng, J. Gauldie & S. M. Collins (2001). IL-12 gene transfer in nematode infected mice induces Th1 immune response and attenuates physiological changes and delays worm expulsion. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 281: G102-10
• W. I. Khan, B. A. Vallance, P. Blennerhasset, Y. Deng, K. I. Matthaei & S. M. Collins (2001). Critical role for signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 6 in mediating intestinal muscle hypercontractility and worm expulsion in Trichinella spiralis-infected mice. Infection & Immunity 69: 838-44