Rudolf Lucas

Professor

Rudolf Lucas

Professor

Academic Appointment(s)

Medical College of Georgia
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

The Graduate School

Medical College of Georgia
Department of Medicine: Pulmonary

Administration
Department of The Graduate School

Bio

Educated as an engineer in Biotechnology from the University of Brussels, Belgium, I took postdoctoral positions at the University Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland and the Weizmann Institute for Science, Israel. Before becoming Associate Professor at MCG in 2007, I worked as vice chair Biochemical pharmacology at the University of Konstanz, Germany and as professor Medical Biotechnology at the university of Applied Sciences, Krems, Austria.

Education

  • Ph.D., Biotechnology Vrije Universiteit Brussels, 1993

Awards & Honors

  • Distinguished Service Award The Graduate School, 2019

  • Life Saver Award CSRA American Heart Assocation , 2019

  • Distinguished Researcher Award Augusta University Research Institute, 2018

Courses Taught Most Recent Academic Year

  • MEDI 6220

    Cardiopulmonary/Heme
  • MEDI 6240

    GI/GU/Endocrine
  • MEDI 5005

    Integrative Science
  • VBIO 8020

    New Frontiers in Vasc Bio
  • PHRM 8043

    Pharmacology & Therapeutics II
  • MEDI 6120

    Foundations of Medicine
  • VBIO 8010

    Methods in Cardiovascular Rese
  • PHRM 8042

    Pharmacology & Therapeutics I

Teaching Interests

Cytokines, Signaling, Acute Lung Injury, Lung physiology, Pharmacogenomics, Drug Discovery, Inflammation, Infectious Diseases, Diabetes, Pneumonia, Glomerulonephritis, Case-Based learning for medical students.

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

  • Endothelial ENaC-α Restrains Oxidative Stress in Lung Capillaries in Murine Pneumococcal Pneumonia-associated Acute Lung Injury., 2024
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Pneumococcal hydrogen peroxide regulates host cell kinase activity., 2024
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Mechanisms of pulmonary endothelial barrier dysfunction in acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome., 2024
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Stimulates Macropinocytosis in Murine and Human Macrophages via PKC-NADPH Oxidase Signaling., 2024
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Zinc-Dependent Histone Deacetylases in Lung Endothelial Pathobiology., 2024
    Journal Article, Academic Journal

Research Interests

Acute Lung injury, inflammation, endothelial biology, cytokines, glomerulonephritis, vascular complications in diabetes and obesity, vascular dysfunction in COVID-19

Department Service

  • VBC postdoctoral evaluation committee 2024 - 2024

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Postdoctoral Evaluation Committee 2022 - 2022

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Comprehensive exam Vascular Biology examination committee 2016 - 2017

    Role: Committee Chair
  • Vascular Biology Program Director 2015 - 2017

    Role: Committee Chair
  • VBIO8130 course Director 2016 - 2016

    Role: Other

College Service

  • AURI Board 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Graduate Council 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Stem Cell Committee 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • AURI Board 2021 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Institutional Biosafety Committee 2020 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

University Service

  • Stem Cell Committee 2024 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • IACUC 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • IBC 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • Stem Cell Committee 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • IACUC 2020 - Present

    Role: Committee Member

Professional Service

  • Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 2022 - Present

    Role: Editor, Associate Editor
  • Frontiers in Immunology 2022 - Present

    Role: Editor, Associate Editor
  • NIH F10A-K Fellowship meeting 2022 - Present

    Role: Committee Member
  • NHLBI Special emphasis panels, SAT (2x), Bacterial pathogens, LIRR, RIBT, 2018 - Present

    Role: Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer
  • Frontiers in Immunology 2016 - Present

    Role: Editor, Associate Editor

Public Service

  • La Caixa Research Foundation 2022 - Present

    Role: Reviewer
  • La Caixa Research Foundation 2018 - Present

    Role: Reviewer
  • Medical Research Council UK 2016 - Present

    Role: Grant Proposal Reviewer, External
  • Student Outreach 2015 - Present

    Role: Guest Speaker
  • German Research Foundation (DFG) 2025 - 2025

    Role: Grant Proposal Reviewer, External