Dr. Andreas Schwingshackl

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Physiology,
Associate Fellowship Director

Dr. Schwingshackl received his medical degree from the University of Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1997 and received his Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, in 2003. Dr. Schwingshackl was a Pediatric Resident at St. Joseph Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, and a Fellow in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA in Los Angeles, California, before joining the Critical Care Faculty at UTHSC in July, 2009.

Dr. Schwingshackl’s research interest lies in investigating the role of stretch-activated ion channels (SAC) in inflammatory mediator secretion in the lung. Both, mechanical stretch and hyperoxia appear to induce expression of stretch-activated ion channels (SAC) in the lung. Inhibition of these channels may constitute a novel target to reduce inflammation in the lungs of mechanically ventilated children.

Selected Peer Reviewed Publications

  1. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, Lim, KG, Tigyi, G, Narayanan, D, Jaggar, JH, and Waters, CM. Regulation of Interleukin-6 Secretion by the Two-Pore-Domain Potassium (K2P) Channel Trek-1 in Alveolar Epithelial Cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2012 Dec 28. [ePub ahead of print].
  2. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, West, N, Makena, M, Gorantla, V, Sinclair, CE, and Waters, CM. Regulation and function of the two-pore-domain (K2P) potassium channel Trek-1 in alveolar epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 302:L93-L102 (2012).
  3. Ghosh, M, Gorantla, V, Makena, P, Luellen, C, Sinclair, SE, Schwingshackl, A, and Waters, CM. Insulin lie growth factor-1 stimulates differentiation of AT II cells to AT I-like cells through activation of Wnt5a. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. (2012) (submitted).
  4. Tachdjian, R; Al Khatib, S; Schwingshackl, A; Kim, HS; Chen, A; Mathias, C; Kim, HY; Umetsu, U; Oettgen, UH; Chatila, T. In vivo Regulation of the Allergic Response by the Interleukin 4 Receptor Alpha Chain Immunoreceptor Tyrosine-based Inhibitory Motif. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 125(5):1128-1136 (2010).
  5. Schwingshackl, A., Moqbel, R, and Duszyk, M. Nitric oxide activates ATP-dependent K+ channels in human eosinophils. J Leukoc Biol. 71:807-812 (2002).
  6. Schwingshackl, A., Moqbel, R, and Duszyk, M. Involvement of ion channels in human eosinophil respiratory burst. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 106;272-279 (2000).
  7. Kulka M., Schwingshackl A., Befus AD. Mast cells express chloride channels of the ClC family. Inflamm Res. 51(9):451-6 (2002).
  8. Schwingshackl, A., Duszyk, M., N. Brown, and Moqbel, R. Human eosinophils release matrix metalloproteinase-9 upon stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-?. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 104;983-990 (1999).

Recent Abstracts

  1. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, West, N, Makena, M, Gorantla, V, Sinclair, CE, and Waters, CM. Regulation and function of the two-pore-domain (K2P) potassium channel Trek-1 in epithelial cells during acute lung injury. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 183;2011:A4235.
  2. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, and Waters, CM. The role of the 2-pore domain K+ channel TREK-1 in alveolar barrier function. Society of Critical Care Medicine Annual Meeting 2012.
  3. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, Makena, P, Waters CM. The Role of the 2-Pore Domain Potassium Channel Trek-1 in Regulation of Cytokine Secretion from Alveolar Epithelial Cells. Experimental Biology Meeting 2012.
  4. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, Waters CM The Role of the 2-Pore Domain Potassium Channel Trek-1 in Regulation of Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1) Secretion from Alveolar Epithelial Cells. Society of Critical Care Medicine Meeting (2013).
  5. Schwingshackl, A, Teng, B, Ghosh, M, Lim, KG, Gabor, T, Narayanan, D, Jaggar, JH, Waters CM. The 2-Pore Domain Potassium Channel (K2P) Trek-1 regulates IL-6 release from alveolar epithelial cells independently of intra- and extracellular Ca2+. American Thoracic Society Meeting (2013).
Dr. Andreas Schwingshackl photo

Contact Us

Department of Pediatrics

Critical Care Division

LeBonheur Children's Hospital
Children’s Foundation Research Center
50 N Dunlap, 3rd Floor
Memphis, TN 38103

Phone: 901-287-6303