Her laboratory focuses on understanding the inflammatory responses in sepsis, with a specific interest in the role of the nuclear receptor PPAR gamma. Dr. Kaplan is conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetic characteristics, safety profile, and effect on inflammatory markers of pioglitazone in patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Pioglitazone belongs to a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones (TZDs), which are commonly used in patients with type 2 diabetes and ligands for PPAR gamma. Her laboratory also focuses on the increased susceptibility of diet-induced obesity to sepsis. She focuses on the critical links between the inflammatory pathways in sepsis and obesity.