Patents
This intellectual property was filed based on the discoveries of my PhD work. The patent was filed in
Canada, USA, Europe and China as follows:
Inventors: Pena OM, Hancock D, Boyd J, Hancock REW.
Title: "Diagnosis for early severe sepsis"
PCT Filing number: PCT/CA2015/000160
International Publication Number: WO2015/135071
Research Manuscripts
I have published a total of 22 research manuscripts (17 research articles + 2 under submission, 3
reviews, 2 book chapters) in well-known peer-reviewed journals and book publishers. The research
articles have been cited 677 times (Google Scholar).
1. Xi Y*, Pena OM*, Bosco A, Lynch J, Phipps S and Upham JW. "Critical role of pDC in
regulating gene expression and innate immune responses to human rhinovirus" 2017. J. Allergy
and Clinical Immun. Submitted.
2. Chen AH, Pena OM, Nel H, Petsky HL, Gardiner S, Zenchyson J, Pizzutto SJ, Yerkovich ST,
Carroll M, Baines KJ, Simpson JL, Gibson PG, Hodge G, Hodge S, Chang AV, Masters IV,
Buntain HL and Upham JW. "Lung macrophages from children with protracted bacterial
bronchitis and bronchiectasis share similar gene expression profiles" 2017. Thorax. Submitted.
3. Maestre-Batlle D, Pena OM, Sutherland D, Hirota J, Alexis NE, Gunawan E, Rider CF and
Carlsten C. "Novel Flow cytometry approach for the characterization of human bronchial
epithelial cells recovered from the lower airways of healthy volunteers" 2016. Scientific Reports.
Feb 6;7:42214.
4. Kunarahaj K, Pena OM, Upham JW. "Understanding the Immune and Inflammatory Response to
Rhinoviruses: Recent Advances with Relevance to Asthma" 2016. Current Resp Med Rev. 12 (3).
215-224.
5. Pena OM*, Hancock D*, Lyle NH, Linder A, Russell JA, Xia J, Fjell CD, Boyd J, & Hancock
RE. "An endotoxin tolerance signature predicts sepsis and organ dysfunction at initial clinical
presentation. 2014 EBiomedicine - doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2014.10.003
6. Pena OM*, Mansour S*, Hancock RE. "The Immunology of host defense peptides (antimicrobial)
peptides". 2014. Trends in Immunology - Sep;35(9):443-50
7. Lyle NH, Pena OM, Boyd JH, Hancock RE. "Barriers to the Effective Treatment of Sepsis:
Antimicrobials, Sepsis Definitions and Host Directed Therapies" 2014. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.
Sep;1323:101-14
8. Yeung A, Janot L, Pena OM, Neidig A, Kukavica-Ibrulj I, Hilchie A, Levesque R, Overhage J,
and Hancock RE. "Requirement of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa CbrA sensor kinase for full
virulence in a murine acute lung infection model". 2014. Infection and Immunity Journal. Mar
82(23):1256-67.
9. Xia J, Fjell CD, Mayer M, Pena OM, Wishard DS & Hancock RE. "INMEX - a web-based tool
for integrative meta-analysis of expression data."2013. Nucleic Acid Research. Jul 1;41.
10. Xia J, Mayer ML, Lyle NH, Pena OM, Hancock REW. "INVEX - a web-based tool for
integrative visualization of expres-sion data". 2013. Bioinformatics. 29 (24):3232-4
11. Pena OM, Afacan N, Pistolic Jelena, Chen Carol, Falsafi Reza and Hancock Robert E. W.
"Synthetic Cationic Peptide IDR-1018 modulates Human Macrophage Differentiation". 2012
PLoS ONE. Jan; 8(1).
12. Afacan NJ, Yeung AT, Pena OM, Hancock RE. "Therapeutic potential of hostdefense peptides in
antibiotic-resistant infections" 2012. Curr Pharm Des. Feb;18(6):807-19.
13. Pena OM, Pistolic J, Raj D, Fjell CD, Hancock RE. "Endotoxin tolerance represents a distinctive
state of alternative polarization (M2) in human mononuclear cells". 2011 Journal of Immunology.
June, 176(12):7243-54.
14. Brown K, Poon G, Birkenhead D, Pena OM, Falsafi R, Dahlgren C, Karlsson A, Bylund j,
Hancock R and Johnson P. "Host defence peptide LL-37 selectively reduces pro-inflammatory
macrophage responses" 2011. Journal of Immunology. May 1;186(9):5497-505.
15. Pena OM, Hale J, Hancock R.E.W. "Host Defense Peptides" Book Chapter in: Emerging Trends
in Antibacterial Discovery. 2010. Horizon Scientific Press.
16. Tomatsu S, Montano AM, Nishioka T, Gutierrez MA, Pena OM, Et al. "Mutation and
polymorphism spectrum of the GALNS gene in mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (Morquio A)" Hum
Mutat. 2005; 26(6):500-12.
17. Tomatsu S, Gutiérrez M, Nishioka T, Yamada M, Tosaka Y, Grubb JH, Montano AM, Vieira MB,
Trandafirescu GG, Pena OM, Et al. "Development of MPS IVA mouse
(Galnstm(hC79S.mC76S)slu) tolerant to human N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase" Hum
Mol Genet. 2005;14(22):3321-35.
18. Pena O, Sosa A, Echeverri O, Saenz H, Barrera LA. "Production of polyclonal antibodies for
protein iduronate-2-sulphate sulphatase (IDS) and development of a detection system for human
recombinant IDS" Biomedica. 2005;25(2):181-8.
19. Echeverry O, Espinosa E, Moser H, Pena O, Barrera L. "Adrenoleucodistrofia ligada al X en
ochco casos colombianos" Acta Neurol Colomb. 2005 Dec;21(4):299-305.
20. Tomatsu S, Gutierrez MA, Ishimaru T, Pena OM, Et al. "Heparan sulfate levels in
Mucopolysaccharidosis and mucolipidoses" J Inherit Metab Dis. 2005;28:743-57.
21. Tomatsu S, Nishioka T, Montaño AM, Gutierrez MA, Pena OS, Et al. "Mucopolysaccharidosis
IV A: Identification of mutations and methylation study in GALNS gene". J Med Gen 2004;
41:e98.
22. Tomatsu S, Dieter T, Schwartz IV, Sarmient P, Giugliani R, Barrera LA, Guelbert N, Kremer R,
Repetto GM, Gutierrez MA, Nishioka T, Serrato OP, Et al. "Identification of a common mutation
in Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA: correlation among genotype, phenotype, and keratan sulfate."J
Hum Genet. 2004;49(9):490-4.
23. Tomatsu S, Filocamo M, Orii KO, Sly WS, Gutierrez MA, Nishioka T, Serrato OP, Di Natale P,
Montano AM, Yamaguchi S, Kondo N, Orii T, Noguchi A. "Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA
(Morquio A): identification of novel common mutations in the N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate
sulfatase (GALNS) gene in Italian patients." Hum Mutat. 2004 Aug;24(2):187-8.
24. Barrera LA, Echeverry OY, Sarmiento P, Gutierrez M, Cabrera M, Torrez A, Serrano C, Guzman
E, Pena OM, Et al. 2003. Innate Errors of Metabolism - Auto learning Book Program.
Selected Oral and Poster Presentations
I have presented my work in a variety of national and international events, giving more than 10 oral
and poster presentations. I have selected here my most recent oral presentations from my doctoral and
post-doctoral work where I was invited to present my work. Moreover, 2 of the posters presented here
were selected as best presentations in their respective events.
1. Pena OM. The TRAP of Infection: How Traffic-Related Air Pollution Alters Immunity.
Occupational and Environmental Health seminar series at the UBC School of Population and
Public Health. March 2016. (Oral)
2. Pena OM, Maestre-Battle D, Guyanan E, Lee A, Kocbach Bølling A, Carlsten C. Effects of
Phthalate Inhalation On Airway Immunology: A Control Human Exposure Study. West coast
Public Health Conference. Semiahmoo. January 2016. (Oral)
3. Pena OM, Afacan N, Pistolic Jelena, Chen Carol, Falsafi Reza and Hancock Robert E. W.
Synthetic Cationic Peptide IDR-1018 modulates Human Macrophage Differentiation. Australian
Society of Immunologists. Melbourne, December 2012. (Oral)
4. Pena OM, Raj D, Pistolic J, Fjell C, Hancock RE. Endotoxin tolerance represents a state of
alternative polarization in human mononuclear cells. American Association of Immunologists
Meeting. Baltimore - WA, US. May 2010. (Oral)
5. Pena OM, Fjell C, Raj D, Lynn D, Hancock RE. "Systems biology approaches to understand
sepsis". Cellular and Cytokine Interactions in Health and Disease-Try-Society Conference.
Lisbon, Portugal. October 2009. (Poster)
6. Pena OM, Raj D, Fjell C, Falsafi R, Gardy J, and Hancock RE. "Exploring the development of
endotoxin tolerance and anti-endotoxin activity of LL-37 in mammalian cells". American
Association of Immunologists Meeting. Seattle - WA, US. May 2009. (Poster)