- Clinical Expertise
- Research Faculty
- Board Certifications
- Immunology/Serology
- Cellular Immunology
- Appointments
- Associate Research Scientist, Columbia University Medical Center
- Director, Neuroendocrine Imaging Laboratory, Columbia University Medical Center
- Education
- A.B., 1978, University of California, Berkeley
- Ph.D., 1985, Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York
Paul E. Harris, Ph.D.
TEL (212) 305-7363
FAX (212) 305-7348
- PROFILE SUMMARY
- Dr. Harris received his undergraduate Biophysics and Biochemistry degree from the University of California, in Berkeley, his Cell Biology graduate degree from Cornell University, and post doctoral training in peptide chemistry from The Rockefeller University. He has been a faculty member at the health sciences campus of Columbia University since 1988.
The common theme in our research has been to develop an understanding of the tissue specificity of expression of proteins as it applies to allograft rejection, autoimmunity and cancer. In the last decade, our efforts were instrumental in defining the structure and function of MHC bound peptides and defining antigen processing pathways serving both MHC class I and class II molecules. At the same time, translational application of these basic science studies, helped define the molecular mechanisms which drive allograft recognition and transplant rejection. These studies helped define the indirect pathway of allorecognition and its contribution to chronic rejection (e.g. GVHD).
Since 2000, our laboratory has applied its interests in tissue specificity of gene expression to the practical identification of markers that might be useful for the identification and imaging human islets and beta cells in the context of islet transplantation or type 1 diabetes mellitus. Using gene expression arrays, we obtained as series of beta cell specific markers. One marker, VMAT2, proved to be is a suitable marker for imaging beta cells. In collaboration with the Department of Radiology, we tested the hypothesis that [11C] DTBZ, a radioligand for VMAT2, is suitable for beta-cell imaging. Using rodent models of diabetes we demonstrated that PET-based quantitation of the density of vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) using its specific radioligand [11C] DTBZ, provides an accurate non-invasive measure of beta cell mass. Most recently we have deployed [11C] DTBZ PET scans of the pancreas in a limited clinical study of healthy controls and patients with long standing type 1 diabetes.
The overall significance of these findings is that, at present, there are no in vivo measure of beta cell mass that would allow estimation of the relative contributions of functional vs. anatomical defects in insulin secretion and production in diabetes. The ability to quantify beta cell mass changes during the early progression of diabetes would provide important biological insights, and facilitate aspects of diagnosis and therapy of both type one and type two diabetes.