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Dr. Valbuena

Gustavo Valbuena, M.D., Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology;
Director, Masters in Medical Science Graduate Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, UTMB;
Member, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Pathology

University of Texas Medical Branch
3.146 Keiller Building
301 University Boulevard
Galveston, TX 77555-0609

Office: (409) 747-0763
Fax: (409) 747-2429
gvalbuen@utmb.edu
Degree Institution Field of Study Graduation Year
M.D. Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia Medicine 1995
Resident University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas Pathology 2001
Ph.D. University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas Experimental Pathology 2003

Honors

1995 National award “Cancer 95”. National Academy of Medicine (Colombia). Co-author.
1998–1999 George Dock Scholar Award
1998–1999 Excellence in Research award. Pathology residency training program.
1998 Travel award. Molecular Biology Course. American Society for Investigative Pathology.
1999–2000 Excellence in Research award. Pathology residency training program.
2000 Phi-Kappa-Phi society
2000 Pathology education award. Chemistry division award for excellence in mechanistic/pathogenic research by a resident.
2001 Pathology education award. Chemistry division award for excellence in mechanistic/pathogenic research by a resident.
2001–2002 College of American Pathologists Scholar.
2002 Stowell-Orbison award. United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology.
2002 Travel Award to attend Experimental Biology 2002. American Society for Investigative Pathology.
2002 Edward Reynolds Scholarship in Experimental Pathology. University of Texas Medical Branch.
2002–2003 James W. McLaughlin predoctoral Fellowship. University of Texas Medical Branch.

Professional Affiliations

1997 College of American Pathologists
1997–2003 American Association for the Advancement of Science
1997–2003 American Society of Clinical Pathologists, junior member
1997–2003 Texas Medical Association, Junior member
1998–2003 U.S. and Canadian Academy of Pathology, Junior member
1999 American Society for Investigative Pathology
2000–2003 American Association of Immunologists, trainee member
2000–2003 American Medical Association, Junior member
2006–2007 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2007 North American Vascular Biology Organization

Research Interests

Gustavo Valbuena, M.D., Ph.D. is a physician/scientist with training in Anatomical, Clinical, and Experimental Pathology and extensive experience in animal model development. His work includes pathogenesis, molecular biology, immunology, and development of animal models and in vitro systems for the study of rickettsial diseases. The research interests of his laboratory are the investigation of endothelium-target pathogens, particularly rickettsiae, and the immune mechanisms of endothelial cells lining the vascular system. Projects are funded by NIH and focus on the following aspects:

    1. Role of the endothelium in the regulation of the anti-rickettsial immune response.
    2. Identification of rickettsial antigens recognized by T cells and B cells.
    3. Optimization of a humanized mouse model of rickettsial infections.

Selected Publications

  1. Valbuena, G., Rao, L.V., Petersen, J.R., Okorodudu, A.O., Bissell, M.G., and Mohammad, A.A. Anionic-zwitterionic mixed micelles in the micellar electrokinetic separation of clinically relevant steroids on a fused-silica capillary. Journal of Chromatography A. 781: 467-474. 1997
  2. Petersen J.R., Smith E., Okorodudu A.O., Valbuena G., and Bissell M.G. Utilization of LDH isoenzymes in the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Clinical Laboratory Management Review.  11:103-116. 1997
  3. Valbuena, G., Feng, H.M., and Walker, D.H.  Mechanisms of immunity against rickettsiae.  New perspectives and opportunities offered by unusual intracellular parasites.  Microbes and Infection.  4: 625-633. 2002
  4. Li, Z., Diaz-Montero, M., Valbuena, G., Yu, X.Y., Olano, J.P., Feng, H.M., and Walker, D.H.  Identification of CD8 T-lymphocyte epitopes in OmpB of Rickettsia conorii.  Infection and Immunity. 71: 3920-3926. 2003
  5. Valbuena, G., Bradford, W., and Walker, D.H.  Expression analysis of the T-cell targeting chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 in mice and humans with endothelial infections caused by rickettsiae of the spotted fever group.  American Journal of Pathology.  163: 1357-1369. 2003
  6. Walker, D.H., Valbuena, G., and Olano, J.P. Pathogenic mechanisms of diseases caused by Rickettsia.  Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 990: 1-11. 2003
  7. Ismail, N., Soong, L., Valbuena, G., McBride, J., Olano, J.P., and Walker, D.H.  Overproduction of TNF-a by CD8+ type-1 cells and Downregulation of IFN-g production by CD4+ Th1 cells contribute to toxic shock-like syndrome in an animal model of fatal monocytotropic ehrlichiosis. Journal of Immunology. 172:1786-800. 2004
  8. Valbuena, G. Jordan, J., and Walker, D.H.  T cells mediate cross-protective immunity between typhus group rickettsiae and spotted fever group rickettsiae.  The Journal of Infectious Diseases.  190:1221-1227. 2004
  9. Valbuena, G., and Walker, D.H.  Effect of blocking the CXCL9/10-CXCR3 chemokine system in the outcome of endothelial-target rickettsial infections.   The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.  71: 393-399. 2004
  10. Valbuena, G., and Walker, D.H.  Expression of CX3CL1 (Fractalkine) in mice with endothelial-target rickettsial infections of the spotted fever group.  Virchows Archiv.  446: 21-27. 2005
  11. Valbuena, G., and Walker, D.H.  Changes in the adherens junctions of human endothelial cells infected with spotted fever group rickettsiae.  Virchows Archives. 446: 379-382. 2005.
  12. Valbuena, G. and Walker, D.H.  Endothelium as a target for infections.  Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease. 1: 171-198. 2006.
  13. Hidalgo, M., Orejuela, L., Fuya, P., Carrillo, P., Hernandez, J., Keng, C., Small, M., Olano, J., Bouyer, D., Castaneda, E., Walker, D., and Valbuena, G.  Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Colombia. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 13: 1058-1060. 2007.
  14. Hidalgo, M., Sanchez, R., Orejuela, L., Hernandez, J., Walker, D., and Valbuena, G.  Prevalence of antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsiae in a rural area of Colombia. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 77: 378-380. 2007.
  15. Hidalgo, M., Salguero, E., De la Ossa, A., Sanchez, R., Vesga, J.F., Orejuela, L., and Valbuena, G.  Murine typhus in Caldas, Colombia. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 78: 321-322. 2008.
  16. Padmanabha, H., Hidalgo, M., Valbuena, G., Cantillo, C., Puerta, H., Galeano, A., Castaneda, e., and Mantilla, G. Ecology of exposure to rickettsial and leptospiral infection in Necocli, Colombia.  Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases.  In press.
  17. Whitlock, G.C., Valbuena, G., Popov, V.L., Judy, B.M., Estes,D.M., and Torres, A.G. Cellular tropism of Burkholderia mallei in a respiratory cell model. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 80: 1029-1030. 2009.
  18. Hidalgo, M., Vesga, J.F., Lizarazo, D., and Valbuena, G.  A survey of antibodies against Rickettsia rickettsii and Ehrlichia chafeensis in domestic animals from a rural area of Colombia.  American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. 80: 1029-1030. 2009.
  19. Valbuena, G. and Walker, D.H.  Infection of the endothelium by members of the order Rickettsiales.  Thrombosis and Haemostasis.  Accepted.  2009.

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