Linda Hazlett
Linda Hazlett
Position Title
Department Vice-Chair
Office Phone
Department: ( 313) 577-1061
Laboratory: (313) 577-1079
Biography
Dr. Hazlett studies the role of the host response to bacterial infection of the cornea. She has specifically focused recently on multi-drug resistance and treatment using various compounds such as glycyrrhizin which targets high mobility group box 1, an amplifier of inflammation. Her goal is to better understand the disease of bacterial keratitis, in which inflammation, if uncontrolled, is deleterious and to develop rational intervention therapies that have clinical relevance. She also is currently focused on the effects of particulate exposure (PM10) on disruption of corneal homeostasis through the particulates’ induction of reactive oxygen species and the impact of that on response to bacterial infection of the cornea. She employs both in vitro and in vivo models, and numerous experimental approaches.
Dr. Hazlett has oversight of four course-directors who provide leadership for Year I medical student teaching (56% of Year I, or 1,700 contact hours in medical student teaching) and 2 graduate course directors. She meets with them as a group to assess teaching progress, course development, planning, teaching assignments and faculty performance. She provides mentorship to junior as well as senior faculty in her department, with particular emphasis on grant writing and editing. She also serves as Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Programs in the School of Medicine.
Research Educator, Full time, PhD
• Distinguished Professor (2008-present) Wayne State University
• The Robert S. Jampel MD, PhD Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology (2018-present)
• Vice Chair of Ophthalmology, Visual and Anatomical Sciences (2018-present)
• The Knopper Family Endowed Research Fund (2019-present)
• Vice Dean Research and Graduate Programs (2016-present)
• Awarded NEI Core Center Vision (P30EY04068) grant, 2019-2024; $2.9 million total costs)
• R01 EY016058 funded (2019-2024), “Attacking the Global Problem of Multi-Drug Resistance”
• AEVR-NAEVR Board (2015-2021); Vice President 2020-21
• Member, Academy of Scholars, Wayne State University (2002-present)
• ARVO Fellow: Gold medal level (2009)
• Alcon Research Award (2012)
• Associate Editor, 2015-present Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Selected publications
• Szliter, E., Lighvani, S., Barrett, R.P., and Hazlett, L.D. VIP balances pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the P. aeruginosa infected cornea and protects against corneal perforation. J. Immunol., 178:1105-1114, 2007.
• Wu, M., McClellan, S. A., Barrett, R. P., and Hazlett, L.D. Beta-defensin 2 promotes resistance against infection with P. aeruginosa. J. Immunol., 182:1609-1616, 2009.
• Hazlett, L. D., Q. Li, J. Liu, S. McClellan, W. Du, and R. Barrett. NKT cells are critical to initiate an inflammatory response after Pseudomonas aeruginosa ocular infection in susceptible mice. J. Immunol. 179:1138-1146, 2007.
• Hazlett, L.D.: The Corneal Response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection. Progress in Retinal and Eye Research, 23(1):1-30, 2004 Review article).