NIH/NIAID-supported UTMB Postdoctoral Training Program
 in Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases

The training program in emerging and reemerging infectious diseases supports postdoctoral trainees and prepares them for clinical, epidemiologic, applied or basic careers in the field. Training is provided by 20 Program Faculty and 21 Associate Program Faculty, encompassing multidisciplinary approaches and the resources of several departments including Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, Internal Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology, Pediatrics, Pathology, and Preventive Medicine and Community Health, as well as the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, the WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases (CTD), the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, and the Sealy Center for Structural Biology. UTMB also hosts the World Reference Center for Arboviruses. UTMB has extensive BSL-3 bench laboratory and animal research facilities, and a recently constructed BSL-4 laboratory.  UTMB also has started construction of one of the two NIH/NIAD - supported National Biocontainment Laboratories, the Galveston National Laboratory, with a June 2008 projected opening date. The university has made a major commitment to research and training in the field by recruitment of senior, established faculty to facilitate research and training in the field. Approximately 90 faculty at UTMB conduct research projects in infectious diseases of all types. Very few medical schools in the United States can now claim to have a faculty as large, as diverse but collaborative in multidisciplinary studies, and of such excellence in the area of emerging infectious diseases.

The program offers training in two broad tracks: (1) basic investigation; and (2) clinical investigation. In the second tract, the trainee is encouraged to obtain an M.Sc.. degree through the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health. In addition, the program offers basic and clinical investigation training in a specific Biodefense Track, addressing CDC/NIAID class A, B, and C pathogens. The major objective of the training program is to foster development of basic or clinical research skills along with a collaborative approach to enable trainees to become independent investigators in the field of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, including research regarding pathogens considered to be potential bioterrorist threats. Research is conducted in all of the relevant pathogen-related disciplines, in pathogenetic mechanisms, and in vector biology. A strong feature of the proposed training program is the extensive availability of international field research experience. Training is thus available from state-of-the-art laboratories at UTMB to the most effective current techniques for research in the field. The trainees will be thoroughly oriented regarding contemporary problems in the relevant disciplines and will be provided with outstanding research opportunities. Most importantly, they will be prepared to embark on careers characterized by continual self improvement and utilization of future opportunities for collaboration and cross-disciplinary problem solving.

Clinical Training:

This NIH/NIAID-funded program provides support for research training only. Research training can be combined with clinical training in infectious diseases for individuals with MD's and prior residency training in Internal Medicine or Pediatrics. Clinical training is supported by other funding sources. Individuals desiring clinical as well as research training may be eligible for research training support under this NIH/NIAID program if they meet the criteria listed below. For information regarding combined clinical and research training in infectious diseases visit our sites at:

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Eligibility

Individuals desiring research training in this area, but ineligible for NIH support, should consider applying for training under the James W. McLaughlin Fellowship Fund program. 

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Participating UTMB Programs and Departments:

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Faculty
 

The primary department appointment is shown for each member of the faculty. Most of the program faculty members have secondary appointments in other departments and are members of the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, the WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development, and the Sealy Center for Structural Biology.

EMERGING AND REEMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES PROGRAM FACULTY

NAME, Primary (Secondary) Appointment(s)

RESEARCH INTERESTS

ROLE IN PROGRAM
E-mail Addresses

PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND ASSOCIATE PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Norbert J. Roberts, Jr., MD
Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases
Pathogenesis of influenza virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection; antiviral immunity, immunogenetics and immunoregulation Director,
Program Faculty
nroberts@utmb.edu
Dennis M. Walling, MD
Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases
Molecular epidemiology and pathogenesis of Epstein-Barr virus infections Associate Director,
Program Faculty
dwalling@utmb.edu

PROGRAM FACULTY

Alan D.T. Barrett, PhD
Pathology
Flaviviruses, molecular determinants of virus pathogenicity, vaccine development Program Faculty
abarrett@utmb.edu

D. Mark Estes, PhD
Pediatrics

 

Immunoregulation, vaccine development, effects of gender on immune function

Program Faculty dmestes@utmb.edu

 

Roberto P. Garofalo, MD
Pediatrics
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of respiratory syncytial virus infection; Pathogenesis of virus- induced asthma/allergic sensitization. Program Faculty
rpgarofa@utmb.edu
Stephen Higgs, Ph.D.
Pathology
Research on Arthropod-born viruses, with an interest focusing on mosquito-virus-vertebrate interactions Program Faculty
sthiggs@utmb.edu

 

Gary R. Klimpel, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology
Cell-mediated immunity in defense against enteric bacterial infections, cellular immune responses to hepatitis C virus Program Faculty
gklimpel@utmb.edu
Stanley M. Lemon, MD
Microbiology & Immunology
Molecular virology and pathogenesis of positive-strand RNA hepatitis viruses, mechanisms of cap-independent viral translation Program Faculty
smlemon@utmb.edu

Shinji Makino, DVM, PhD
Microbiology &
Immunology

 

Molecular biology and virus-host cell interactions of coronaviruses and bunya viruses

Program Faculty
shmakino@utmb.edu

 

David W. Niesel, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology
Genetic and molecular basis of virulence of Gram negative enteric pathogens, recombinant vaccine development in Salmonella Program Faculty
dniesel@utmb.edu
William A. O'Brien, MS, MD
Internal Medicine/ Infectious Diseases
Molecular pathogenesis of HIV infection, molecular monitoring for clinical trials Program Faculty
wobrien@utmb.edu
Clarence James Peters, M.D.
Microbiology & Immunology
Emerging Infectious Diseases Program Faculty
cjpeters@utmb.edu

 

Johnny W. Peterson, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology
Pathogenesis of bacterial diseases and immunologic intervention Program Faculty
jpeterso@utmb.edu
Victor Reyes, PhD
Pediatrics
Development of immune responses to infectious agents, epithelium-microorganism interaction, Helicobacter pylori Program Faculty
vreyes@utmb.edu
Chiaho Shih, PhD
Pathology
Molecular biology and immunopathology of human hepatitis viruses;  Mechanisms of persistence and oncogenesis of hepatitis B and C viruses Program Faculty
cshih@utmb.edu
Lynn Soong, MD, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology
Immunological mechanisms in New World leishmaniasis, and vaccine development. Program Faculty
lysoong@utmb.edu
Lawrence R. Stanberry, M.D., Ph.D.
Pediatrics, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development
Development of
prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines, basic studies of the pathogenesis and immunobiology of herpes simplex virus, the
development of topical microbicides to control sexually transmitted infections, and the special problem of genital herpes infection in teenagers.
Program Faculty
lrstanbe@utmb.edu

 

Robert B. Tesh, MD, MS
Pathology
Epidemiology of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases Program Faculty
rtesh@utmb.edu
David H. Walker, MD
Pathology
Immunity and pathogenesis of rickettsial and ehrlicheal infections Program Faculty
dwalker@utmb.edu
Scott C. Weaver, PhD
Pathology
Ecology, evolution and pathogenesis of arthropod-borne viral diseases, and molecular mechanisms of virus-vector interactions Program Faculty
sweaver@utmb.edu

ASSOCIATE PROGRAM FACULTY

Thomas Albrecht, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology
Molecular and cellular pathogenesis of human cytomegalovirus Assoc. Program Faculty
talbrech@utmb.edu
Judith F. Aronson, MD
Pathology
Pathogenesis of arenavirus hemorrhagic fevers Assoc. Program Faculty
jaronson@utmb.edu
Tasnee Chonmaitree, MD
Pediatrics/Infectious Diseases
Viral otitis media, respiratory viral infections, and inflammatory mediators Assoc. Program Faculty
tchonmai@utmb.edu
Ashok Kumar Chopra, Ph.D.
Microbiology & Immunology
Microbial toxins and their contribution in the overall
virulence of the organisms in causing human diseases. Modulation of inflammation and vaccine development
Assoc. Program Faculty
achopra@utmb.edu 

 

Robert A. Davey, PhD
Microbiology &
Immunology

 

Mechanism of enveloped virus entry and early signaling events that trigger entry pathways. Envelope protein structure and function

Assoc. Program Faculty
radavey@utmb.edu

 

Daniel H. Freeman, Jr., PhD
Preventive Medicine and Community Health
Biostatistics, clinical research design Assoc. Program Faculty
dfreeman@utmb.edu
Charles F. Fulhorst, DVM, MPH, DrPH
Pathology (Center for Tropical Diseases)
Ecology and pathogenesis of arthropod-borne and rodent-associated viruses Assoc. Program Faculty
cfulhors@utmb.edu
Nisha Garg, Ph.D.
Microbiology & Immunology(Center for Tropical Diseases)
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, immunologic and therapeutic intervention Assoc. Program faculty
nigarg@utmb.edu

 

David G. Gorenstein, PhD
Cellular Physiology and Biophysics (Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, Sealy Center for Structural Biology, Centenial Center in Toxicology, Biomedical Engineering)
Structural biology and NMR spectroscopy of proteins and nucleic acids; Biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, computational biochemistry, enzymology and drug design Assoc. Program Faculty
david@nmr.utmb.edu
Norbert K. Herzog, PhD
Pathology (Microbiology and Immunology, Center for Tropical Diseases)
Cellular signal transduction; Host cell and bacterial signalling events in the pathogenesis of Shigella infection Assoc. Program Faculty
nherzog@utmb.edu
Rolf Konig, PhD
Microbiology and Immunology (Sealy Center for Molecular Sciences, NIEHS Center in Environmental Health Sciences)
Relationship between structure and function in proteins of immunologic importance, cell biology of antigen recognition Assoc. Program Faculty
rokonig@utmb.edu
Bruce Luxon, Ph.D.
Department of Human Biological Chemistry & Genetics;
Director, UTMB 
Biomolecular NMR, Structural biology and computational chemistry, bioinformatics Assoc. Program Faculty
baluxon@utmb.edu
Peter W. Mason, Ph.D
Department of Pathology
West Nile virus infection Assoc. Program
Faculty
pwmason@utmb.edu

Vladimir Motin, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology

Pathogenesis of Yersinia pestis

Assoc. Program Faculty
vlmotin@utmb.edu

Janak Patel, MD
Pediatrics/Infectious Diseases
Respiratory viral infections, HIV infection Assoc. Program Faculty
jpatel@utmb.edu
Billy U. Philips, PhD
Preventive Medicine and Community Health
Social epidemiology, human ecology Assoc. Program Faculty
bphilips@utmb.edu
Vsevolod L. Popov, PhD
Pathology
Ultrastructural analysis of intracellular organisms Assoc. Program Faculty
vpopov@utmb.edu

Alfredo Torres, PhD
Microbiology & Immunology

 

Diarrheal disease, intracellular pathogens, bacterial genetics, mechanisms of adhesion

Assoc. Program Faculty
altorres@utmb.edu

 

Stanley J. Watowich, PhD
Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics
X-ray crystallography, antivirals, virus structure Assoc. Program Faculty
watowich@bloch.utmb.edu
Douglas M. Watts, Ph.D.
Pathology
Ecology and epidemiology of emerging viral infections, with emphasis on surveillance, diagnosis and control of arthropod-born viral diseases. Assoc. Program Faculty
dowatts@utmb.edu

 

Shu-Yuan Xiao, M.D., M.S.
Pathology, Internal Medicine WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases
Pathogenesis of flaviviruses, including West Nile virus (encephalitis), yellow fever virus (hepatic necrosis), and hepatitis C (chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma).  Assoc. Program Faculty
syxiao@utmb.edu

 

 

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Nominations/Applications:

Nominations:

Postdoctoral trainees or trainee candidates of any training grant faculty or associate faculty member are eligible. Current trainees are likewise eligible to apply for continued funding. Trainees must be permanent resident non-citizen nationals or U.S. citizens. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.  The NIH-supported stipend will depend upon the postgraduate year of the successful applicant, and the remainder of a UTMB stipend (if greater) must be paid from other sources and is the responsibility of the faculty mentor. The program also provides limited funds for training-related tuition and fees, travel (including field investigation), and supplies.

Those who wish to be considered for the training program should contact potential faculty sponsor(s) directly to initiate the nomination/application process in concert with the faculty member. Please see the faculty listing for e-mail addresses.

Applications:

Yearly  appointments start on or after August 1 of each year. Applicants are considered throughout the year for positions in the program.  The following materials are required for all trainee nominations:

Please Note:
Please send applications to Ms. Kim Denton by the due date by one of the following methods: (1) mail to the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Rt. 0435, Galveston, Texas  77555-0435; (2) e-mail to krdenton@utmb.edu; or (3) hand deliver to Room 4.210, Marvin Graves Building.

Selection:

Trainees will be selected by the Admissions and Recruitment Committee (with broad department and expertise representation), and appointed each year by the Training Program Director. Applications will be evaluated using an NIH-style scale of 1-5 considering the following criteria:

Acceptance of the appointment to the training program entails signing a standard NIH "payback form" and agreement to participate in the required course on Responsible Conduct in Research (if not taken previously).

For further information, contact:
Ms. Kim Denton
Division of Infectious Diseases, UTMB
301 University Boulevard, Route 0435
Galveston, TX  77555-0435
Telephone: 409-747-1856
Fax: 409-772-6527

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