About
Brigitte N Gomperts is a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine. She maintains a dual appointment in both departments, reflecting her interdisciplinary research spanning pediatric and adult pulmonary medicine. Dr. Gomperts leads a productive research laboratory focused on lung biology, stem cells, and regenerative medicine, with particular emphasis on understanding airway repair mechanisms and developing novel therapies for pulmonary diseases.
Dr. Gomperts received her medical training at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, followed by a Pediatrics Residency and Chief Residency at Washington University in St. Louis. She completed her Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellowship at the same institution. Her educational background provided the foundation for her transition into laboratory research focused on lung development and repair.
Dr. Gomperts' research primarily investigates airway stem cell biology, pulmonary regeneration, and disease pathogenesis in conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and respiratory viral infections. Her laboratory pioneered the development of three-dimensional bioengineered lung tissue models that have become instrumental in studying human airway biology and disease mechanisms. Current research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying fibrosis, developing novel therapeutic approaches for pulmonary diseases, and investigating the impact of environmental exposures like cigarette smoke and e-cigarettes on airway repair.
Analysis of Dr. Gomperts' recent publications reveals a strong trajectory in pulmonary research with increasing emphasis on translational applications. Her work spans fundamental stem cell biology, disease modeling, and therapeutic development, with particular recent focus on SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and treatment strategies. The research demonstrates sophisticated integration of stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and molecular pathology to address critical questions in pulmonary medicine.
Dr. Gomperts has secured significant research funding from multiple sources including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense, and private foundations. Current projects include 'Validation of an in vitro model of progressive fibrosis that mimics Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis' (NIH U01HL153000), 'Targeting DNA Damage Repair Pathways to Reduce SARS-CoV-2 Replication in the Airways' (Department of Defense), and 'Translational models for drug discovery for IPF' (Three Lakes Foundation).
Dr. Gomperts leads the Lung Stem Cell Laboratory at UCLA, which has developed innovative three-dimensional bioengineering technologies to generate lung tissue for personalized disease modeling. Her laboratory collaborates extensively with other researchers across UCLA and nationally to advance understanding of lung biology and develop novel therapeutic approaches for pulmonary diseases.
