Scientists within the facility are attempting to design a cell culture model that will replicate the symptoms of endotoxic shock resulting from trauma such as surgery, thermal injury, or severe accidents. Certain highly responsive immune cells are grown in culture and then subjected to the same biochemical stress as in a human trauma. If this program can demonstrate the importance of this modality, it may be most useful in assisting us to determine the most appropriate methods for treatment of shock. We are currently working with cultures of pulmonary artery endothelial cells which can be manipulated to identify some of the mechanisms important for oxidative tissue damage in trauma.