Jessica B. Blackburn, PhD

Jessica Blackburn, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is a graduate of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, specializing in Cellular Physiology and Molecular Biophysics.

Dr. Blackburn’s research interests include exploring changes in cellular composition and cellular identity in airway epithelial cells in COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common and often fatal lung disease that is closely associated with long-term exposure to cigarette smoke and other inhaled irritants. Although a variety of medications are available to treat COPD, none have been shown to extend the lives of patients suffering with the disease. Prior research has shown that the cells lining the smallest airways in the lung are abnormal in patients with COPD and these abnormalities contribute to the symptoms of COPD in a variety of ways. Dr. Blackburn’s research centers on understanding abnormal cell biology in these small airways and exploring potential mechanisms contributing to epithelial dysfunction with the goal of identifying targets for future therapeutics.