Alok Dabi, MD
Neuroprotection, brain-gut-microbiome axis, acute neurology
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Department of Neurology profile »Dr. Dabi's research interest is in the brain-gut-microbiome axis and its role in several neurological disorders. He is researching the axis and the potential for its modulation via diet and the use of pre- and probiotics.
Sara Dann, PhD
Innate immunity, immune regulation,
enteric pathogens
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Department of Internal Medicine profile »My research focuses on
the induction and regulation of the host's immune response to
bacterial and parasitic infections in the gut. We examine cross talk
between epithelial cells and immune cells during infection. Current
studies focus on: (1) IL-10 independent mechanisms of immune
regulation; (2) induction of protective mucosal immunity in the
absence of inflammatory signals; and (3) role of innate immune cells
in inducing and suppressing intestinal inflammation.
Kelly Dineley, PhD
View Department of Neurology profile » The
overall goal of my research program is to better understand the
maladaptive neuroplastic changes in the brain related to cognitive
deficits that arise in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s
disease. For the past 15 years I have been studying neuroplasticity
in animal models of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including
infectious disease, central pain, cocaine addiction, Alzheimer’s and
Parkinson’s disease, for which I am currently funded and have been
funded throughout my career.
Jianli Dong, MD, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile
»Dr. Dong's research is focused on BRAF/MEK/ERK and p16/CDK/RB pathways in cancer biology, as well as molecular diagnostics and translational research, including research and development of molecular biomarkers in clinical applications.
Tonyia
Eaves-Pyles, PhD
Bacteriology, pathogenesis
View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
»My research focuses on understanding the interaction between
pathogenic bacteria and epithelial cells of the lung and intestinal
tract, as well as professional immune cells. I also investigate the
interaction between intestinal epithelial cells and bacteria,
specifically the dynamics of the normal flora in combination with the
intestinal epithelium and their interaction and response to invading
organisms.
Janice Endsley,
PhD
Bacteriology, immunology
View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
»
My research is focused on mechanisms and regulation of cell
mediated immunity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). An
important component of my work is investigations to determine how
human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compromises CD8+T cell and
macrophage function in the host immune response to M.tb. I
have also extended my studies of cytotoxic lymphocytes to include
natural killer cell function in infectious disease and reproduction.
Mark Endsley,
PhD
Virology, immunology
View UTMB Researchgate profile
Research in my lab focuses on various aspects of HIV infection. We are currently working on projects related to the discovery of new anti-retroviral compounds, development of a sterilizing mucosal response through vaccination, and HIV-associated comorbidities that arise in patients with long-term infection.
Rong Fang, MD, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile »We are
interested in investigating the immune mechanisms by which mammalian
hosts control intracellular pathogens. My current research focuses on
cytosolic immune events, such as autophagy and inflammasomes, in
macrophages and endothelial cells in response to cytosol-adapted
pathogens. Our ongoing project(s) will be beneficial for rational
design of potent vaccines.
Monique Ferguson, PhD
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Department of Internal Medicine profile »My research interests
are to investigate mechanisms by which host cell factors facilitate
different stages of the HIV life cycle and the development of small
molecules that disrupt key virus-host interactions. In
collaboration, I am focused on the development of co-culture systems:
(1) to study how HIV alters the vaginal microbiome; and (2) to
delineate the immunologic mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis in HIV/HCV
co-infection.
Alexander Freiberg, PhD
Pathogenesis, structural biology, imaging, vaccine development,
virology
View Department of Pathology profile »My research
focuses on emerging RNA viruses, specifically the molecular
mechanisms by which they cause encephalitis or hemorrhagic fever,
their structure and assembly, and vaccine development. My research
approaches include the characterization of the host immune response
and cellular signaling pathways following infection using cell
culture and small animal models.
Matthieu G. Gagnon, PhD
Structural biology/biochemistry, ribosome, bacterial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile »My research aims to understand the basic cellular processes regulating protein synthesis by elucidating atomic structures of ribosome, RNA and protein functional complexes. Our goals are to characterize the molecular mechanisms by which human pathogens gain resistance to ribosome-targeting antibiotics using structural biology, biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology techniques.
Mariano Garcia-Blanco,
MD, PhD
View Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
profile »Human and viral genes are complex units of information
whose tightly regulated expression produces a dazzling array of
phenotypes. The Garcia-Blanco laboratory focuses on gene expression
from the perspective of RNA biology. The laboratory studies gene
expression and RNA-protein interactions in three biological contexts
of biomedical importance: 1) Infection of human and insect cells with
flaviviruses such as dengue and yellow fever viruses, 2)
epithelial-mesenchymal transitions among carcinoma cells and 3)
multiple sclerosis.
Nisha Garg,
PhD
Pathogenesis, oxidative response networks and
inflammation, vaccine development, cardiomyopathy
View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
» My research focuses on understanding a) the changes in gene
regulation and the signaling cascade that contribute to myocardial
cytoskeletal rearrangement and mitochondrial dysfunction; and b) the
role of free radicals in pathological processes, i.e., inflammation,
oxidative damage, and clinical severity of cardiac disease of
infectious and non-infectious etiologies. We are also working on
developing a candidate vaccine against
Trypanosoma cruzi and
Chagas disease. Our collaborators are at the UTMB and several
laboratories in Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico.
Roberto Garofalo, MD
View Department of Pediatrics profile » My
research focuses on respiratory viral infections in infants, in
particular those that are caused by respiratory syncytial virus
(RSV). We are investigating aspects of RSV pathogenesis and treatment
as they relate to airway inflammation and long-term morbidity,
including recurrent wheezing and chronic asthma. We use different
approaches, from cellular systems, to experimental infections and
naturally occurring infections in human.
Thomas Geisbert,
PhD
Pathogenesis, vaccine development, virology View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
»My research focuses on the pathogenesis of emerging and
re-emerging viruses that require Biosafety level (BSL)-4 containment
and on the development of vaccines and postexposure treatments
against these viruses. My work particularly emphasizes studies on
viruses causing hemorrhagic fever (HF) including Ebola virus, Marburg
virus, and Lassa virus.
Benjamin Gelman, MD, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile »Our work
addresses the neurochemical, neurovirological, neuropathological and
neuroimmunological effects of HIV infection and its comorbid
conditions including hepatitis C. Our approach emphasizes using
human tissue specimens. The current scientific focus is on the
distribution and cellular identity of latent HIV in the tissues of
patients with effectively suppressed virus replication. The goal is
to target and destroy immune cells that support the latent pool of
HIV DNA in the CNS and other body compartments.
Randall Goldblum, MD
View Department of Pediatrics profile » My
current interests are largely in environmental effects on the
development of diseases and on ways to reduce this burden to society
by prevention of exposures and unique therapeutic products that can
be used to treat these diseases.
George Golovko, PhD
View UTMB Research Experts profile
My research focuses on the development of bioinformatics applications designed to utilize Next Generation DNA Sequencing data for microbiome analysis, viral SNP characterization, and pathogen detection and identification. Specifically, I lead the development of genomic risk assessment based on multi-omics of host-pathogen interactions, as well as identification of interaction patterns in multidimensional space.
Bin Gong, MD,
PhD
Pathogenesis, structural biology/imaging, experimental
pathology View Department of Pathology profile »I am
interested in how the endothelial cells are injured by infections.
The ongoing research projects: Multiple regulatory and signaling
mechanisms that converge on VE-Cadherin underlying Rickettsia-induced
endothelial barrier dysfunction; Initiating a novel direction to
reveal the role of non-coding RNAs in repairing vascular damages
after high consequence pathogen infections.
Andrew Grant, MD
View Department
of Internal Medicine profile »Dr. Goldblum is a physician specializing in allergies and immunology. His clinical research has focused on new therapies for patients with angioedema and immunodeficiency.
Tapas Hazra, PhD
View Department
of Internal Medicine profile »My research focuses on microbial infection-induced oxidative genome damage repair in host tissues. Our studies will investigate the mechanistic basis of how modulating host genome repair can be an effective therapeutic intervention for combating pathogenic infection.
Mark Hellmich, PhD
View Department
of Surgery profile »My research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development and progression of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. Current projects are investigating the function of transsulfuration enzymes, and cysteine metabolite, including the gaseous transmitter, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in GI inflammation, carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and the modulation of anti-tumor immunity.
Yashoda Madaiah Hosakote,
PhD
View UTMB Researchgate profile
My research focuses on the investigation of virus-and host
specific mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of viral
respiratory infections. Our goal is to dissect the novel molecular
pathways of respiratory virus-induced lung inflammation in order to
develop novel therapeutic interventions to treat and prevent
respiratory infections using high throughput molecular and proteomics
tools.
Haitao Hu, PhD
HIV/AIDS,
antiviral immunity, host-virus interactions, vaccine, viral vectors,
HIV latency, T cell biology View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
»Dr. Hu's current research is focused on antiviral immunity and
host-virus interactions in HIV infection and vaccination.
Cheng Huang, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile »My main
research interests is to investigate the virus-host interaction and
the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic arenavirus viruses as well as
the development of vaccines and therapeutics against pathogenic
arenavirus infection.
Tetsuro Ikegami,
PhD
Vaccine development, virology View Department of Pathology profile »My research
focuses on the development of countermeasures against Rift Valley
fever (RVF). My research approaches include reverse genetics to
rescue various recombinant Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) mutants,
characterize innate and adaptive immune responses against those RVFV
mutants, testing the efficacy of various vaccine candidates for RVF.
Mini M. Jose, PhD, RN, FNP-C
View School of Nursing profile »My current research focus is to improve the primary care outcomes of reproductive age women. Bacterial vaginosis is a common and difficult to control women’s health issue encountered at primary care practices. My research focus is to test newer antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis.
Cheryl Juneau, DrPH, RN, FNP-BC
View School of Nursing profile »I am faculty in the School of Nursing and a Family Nurse Practitioner. As a member of the Multi-Translational Team (GI), I have collaborated with infectious diseases faculty on research pertaining to community-acquired Clostridium difficile. As a clinician with a doctorate in Public Health, my research interests are focused on communicable diseases, including emerging infectious diseases.
Bhupendra Kaphalia, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile »In general, I am working on formation, distribution, metabolism, disposition and toxicity evaluation of lipid conjugates of xenobiotic alcohols and development of analytical methods (HPLC, GC & TLC) involved in in vitro and in vivo metabolism of compounds of biological and environmental interest. I use state of art nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry for characterization of the metabolites.
Philip Keiser, MD
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Department of Internal Medicine profile »
Dr. Keiser’s primary interest is the care and treatment of HIV and its related infections. He is the director of the Ryan White Clinical in Galveston and is the lead physician for the regional AIDs Education and Training Center. He also directs the UTMB Antibiotic Stewardship Program and is the Local Health Authority for Galveston County. His clinical research focuses on outcomes and cost effectiveness studies of HIV in resource limited settings; effects of HIV on orphans and vulnerable children in Africa; and antibiotic stewardship.
Kamil Khanipov, PhD
View CV »
- Precision Medicine for Prediction of Optimal Mode of Delivery in Pregnancy
- Precision Medicine for Prediction of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Complications
- Novel Methods for Identification of Multi-Dimensional Co-Exclusion Patterns in Oral Microbiomes
- Unraveling the Roles of Genetic Predisposition and Microbiota Dysbiosis in Heart Failure Associated Comorbidities
- Detection and Visualization of Multidimensional Patterns in Multi-omics Data
- Modulation of Gut Bacteriome: Impact on Tumor Stroma in Colon Cancer
- Hurricane Harvey Decision-Support – Resilient Environments and Communities
- Cytosine Deamination Adducts and Cancer Etiology
M. Firoze Khan, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile »
Dr. Khan's
research interests include: oxidative stress and autoimmune diseases;
chemical-induced autoimmunity; molecular mechanisms of splenic
toxicity of aromatic amines; and biomarkers of chemical exposure.
Gayle Olson Koutrouvelis, MD, MPH
View Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology profile»
I am the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) Fellowship Director, and foster, oversee and mentor fellow research projects. My research interests are primarily clinical in global health, infectious disease obesity/diabetes and pregnancy outcome. Collaborating with Dr. Miguel Cabada has opened new opportunities for fellows for projects in infectious disease and pregnancy outcomes in middle income countries.
Thomas
Ksiazek, DVM, PhD
View Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciencesprofile
» Epidemiology/ecology and laboratory diagnosis of hemorrhagic
fevers and arthropod-borne viral diseases. Consultant on operational
biosafety and facility design to USDA, DOD, DHS, and several
international laboratories. High containment laboratory and field
operations experience in national laboratories for over 35 years.
International experience includes long-term professional assignments
in England, Taiwan, Indonesia and Egypt as well as extensive outbreak
experience in Asia, Africa and South America.
Michael Kueht, MD
My research interests include management of immunosuppression in solid organ transplantation and the physiology and immunology of end stage liver and kidney disease.
Bio Sketch | CV
Jun-Ho La, DVM, PhD
View Department of Neuroscience & Cell Biology
profile » Dr. La’s research focuses on sensory neuronal plasticity
in peripheral and central nervous system as a mechanism of, and a
therapeutic target for, chronic neuropathic, inflammatory, and
functional pain. One of his main research interests is sensory
neuron-immune cell interactions leading to
postinfectious/postinflammatory chronic pain.
Fernanda Laezza, MD, PhD
View Department of of Pharmacology & Toxicology profile » Dr. Laezza's research interests include biological and translational psychiatry, neuroscience and neuropharmacology; drug discovery; molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric disorders; regulation of excitability and synaptic transmission by protein; protein interaction; intracellular signaling pathways; quantitative approaches in biology; multi scale image analysis, high throughput screening, enabling technologies.
Michael Laposata, MD, PhD
View Department of Pathology profile »Dr.
Laposata is the Chair of the Department of Pathology. His primary
research interests are: (1) fatty acid alterations in patients with
cystic fibrosis, and (2) diagnostic mistakes, particularly involving
evaluation of patients for bleeding and thrombotic disorders.
William Lawrence, PhD
View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
»Dr. Lawrence’s research focuses on the pathogenesis and
pathophysiology of anthrax infection with special emphasis on the
physiological effects of anthrax toxins. He is also involved in the
evaluation of drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines that inhibit
anthrax disease progression. This research will aid in the discovery
of new anthrax prophylactics and therapeutics.
James Lee, PhD
Professor Emeritus
Sunhee Lee, PhD
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Nontuberculous mycobacteria View Department of Microbiology & Immunology profile
»Dr. Lee’s research interests focus on identifying the genetic basis of important virulence traits, key components of host-pathogen interaction, and immunogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria. A long-term goal of her laboratory is the generation of safe and effective mycobacterial vaccines and therapeutics.