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Faculty

Listed below are faculty with primary and secondary appointments in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, as well as emeritus professors and those with adjunct appointments.

Faculty

Dennis A. Bente, DVM, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Pathogenesis and transmission of tick‐borne hemorrhagic fever viruses; BSL-4; hemorrhagic fevers; animal models; tick vector biology; host‐vector‐virus interaction

Istvan Boldogh, DM&B, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Director, Tissue Culture Core Facility
Oxidative stress; mitochondrial abnormalities in inflammation; aging processes

Ashok K. Chopra, PhD, CSc
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
John S. Dunn Distinguished Chair in Global Health
Assistant Director, Microbiology & Immunology Graduate Program
Virulence gene regulation; pathogenic mechanisms; cell signaling; vaccine development; inflammation

Yingzi Cong, PhD
Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Mucosal immunology; host-microbiota interaction at mucosal surface;  pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases

Robert Cross, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Viral hemorrhagic fever biology and pathogenesis; molecular and classical virology; drug and vaccine development

Tonyia D Eaves-Pyles, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Pathogenic bacteria and their products induce innate immune response in the human host

Janice Endsley, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
TB and TB/HIV co-infection; cell mediated immunity; signal transduction

Mark Endsley, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Matthieu G. Gagnon, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Structural studies of protein synthesis; ribosome structure and function; ribosome-binding factors; antibiotics; antibiotic resistance mechanisms; X-ray crystallography; cryo-electron microscopy

Nisha Garg, PhD
Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Franklin Fellow of the US Department of State / US Agency for International Development
Oxidative response networks and inflammation in chagasic cardiomyopathy; vaccine efficacy against T. cruzi and Chagas disease; Strategies for the elimination of tropical infectious diseases

Thomas W Geisbert, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Ebola virus; Marburg virus; Lassa virus; Nipah virus; Hendra virus; nonhuman primate models; pathogenesis; vaccines; therapeutics

Yashoda M. Hosakote, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Molecular biology; biotechnology; virology

Haitao Hu, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Antiviral immunity and host-virus interactions in HIV infection and vaccination

Ruksana Huda, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Molecular immunology; therapy for autoimmune disease

William S. Lawrence, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Aerobiology Division Manager

James LeDuc, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
John Sealy Distinguished Chair in Tropical and Emerging Virology
Director, Galveston National Laboratory
Global health; biodefense and biosecurity; epidemiology of infectious diseases

Sunhee Lee, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Host-pathogen interactions during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection, TB pathogenesis, Bruli ulcer, drug-resistant TB, TB vaccine development, Nontuberculous mycobacteria

Shinji Makino, DVM, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Molecular virology and pathogenesis of SARS coronavirus and Rift Valley fever virus

Vineet D. Menachery, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Coronaviruses; systems biology; aging; immunology; genetics; SARS-CoV; MERS-CoV; viral emergence

Chad E. Mire, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Associate Director, GNL BSL-4 Core B

Johnny W Peterson, PhD
Samuel Baron Distinguished Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Toxins; inflammation; molecular pathogenesis of bacterial infections of the intestine; therapeutics against diarrheal disease and anthrax

Ricardo Rajsbaum, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Innate immunity to virus infection (Influenza and other viruses); Pattern recognition receptor signaling and E3-ubiquitin ligases in antiviral responses; Antagonism of innate immune response by viruses

Shannan Rossi, PhD
Assistant Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Arboviruses; Zika virus; vaccines; alphaviruses; flaviviruses; animal models

Jian Sha, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Bacterial pathogens such as Aeromonas, Salmonella, and Yersinia

Lynn Soong, MD, PhD
Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Director, Microbiology & Immunology Graduate Program
Protective immunity and pathogenesis of intracellular pathogens; Dendritic cell-pathogen interactions; T cell priming; Cytokines/Chemokines; Vaccine development

Jiaren Sun, MD, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Protective immunity and pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection

Kaori Terasaki, DVM, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Rift Valley fever; phleboviruses

Alfredo Torres, PhD, MS
Herman Barnett Distinguished Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Assistant Dean, Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development
Diarrheal pathogens; mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis; biodefense-related microorganisms

Chien-Te (Kent) Tseng, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Virology and viral immunology - Ebola virus; Rift Valley Fever; Hantavirus; Nipah virus; Hepatitis C; SARS

Tian (Tina) Wang, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Flavivirus; West Nile encephalitis; immunity; vaccine; antiviral agents

Scott Weaver, PhD
Chair, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Director, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity
Scientific Director, Galveston National Laboratory
Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Ecology, epidemiology, evolution, and pathogenesis of arboviral diseases; antiviral and vaccine development

Suxia Yao, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Analysis of unique murine models of inflammatory bowel disease

MinKyung Yi, PhD
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Molecular biology of hepatitis C virus; virus-host interactions related to HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) and metabolic diseases

Judith Aronson, MD
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
Vice Chair for Education, Department of Pathology
Director, UTMB Autopsy Service
Inaugural Holder of the L. Clarke Stout Professorship in Anatomic Pathology

Alan D.T. Barrett, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
John D. Stobo, MD Distinguished Chair in Vaccinology
Director, Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences (SIVS)
Director, World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center for Vaccine Research
Molecular genetics of flaviviruses; bunyaviruses; tropical virus diseases; vaccine development

David W.C. Beasley, PhD
Director, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Institutional Office of Regulated Nonclinical Studies
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Molecular basis of virulence and antigenic variations between West Nile virus (WNV) strains; arbovirus vaccines and diagnostics; Good Laboratory Practices (GLP); animal models for infectious diseases

Nigel Bourne, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology
Sr. Scientist, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development
Genital herpes; hepatitis C virus; vaccines and antiviral agents

Trevor L. Brasel, PhD
Study Director, Regulated Studies, Institutional Office of Regulated Nonclinical Studies
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology Immunology

Douglas Brining, DVM
Associate Dean for Research Services
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Alexander Bukreyev, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
Ebola; Marburg; H5N1; vectored vaccines; mucosal immunization; immunology

Antonella Casola, MD
Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology
RSV; hMPV; cell signaling

Jason E. Comer, PhD
Study Director, Institutional Office of Regulated Nonclinical Studies
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Sara M. Dann, PhD
Assistant Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Microbiology & Immunology
Interaction of enterid pathogens with the host mucosal immune system parasites in intestinal inflammation and the involvement of innate immunity

Roberto Garofalo, MD
Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology
Respiratory syncytial virus immunopathogenesis; inflammation; cytokine transcription; eosinophils; epithelial cell signaling

J. Andrew Grant, MD
Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology
Potency of antihistamines

Thomas Ksiazek, DVM, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
Epidemiology/ecology and laboratory diagnosis of hemorrhagic fevers and arthropod-borne viral diseases

Jere McBride, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
Obligate intracellular bacteria; pathobiology; immunity; molecular pathogenesis; vaccine development and diagnostics

Peter C. Melby, MD
Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Microbiology & Immunology
Leishmaniasis; international research ethics; impact of malnutrition on innate immunity and susceptibility to infection

Gregg N. Milligan, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology
Viral immunology; immunity to herpes simplex virus; immunity to West Nile virus

Vladimir Motin, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
Yersinia pestis pathogenesis; vaccine; therapeutics

Joan Nichols, PhD
Associate Director, Research and Operations, Galveston National Laboratory
Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology
Viral pathogenesis and influence of aging on host response to pathogens (immunosenescence) and development of human model systems using tissue engineering

David W. Niesel, PhD
Senior Vice President and Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Chief Research Officer, UTMB Health 
Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Lawrence E. Etheridge, Jr. Professor
In vivo virulence gene expression; bacterial pathogenesis; novel methods of antibiotic resistance detection

Iryna V. Pinchuk, PhD
Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine/Gastroenterology and Microbiology & Immunology
Myofibroblasts/fibroblasts (IMFs)

Richard Pyles, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology
Scientist, Sealy Center for Vaccine Development
Microbiome/mucosal interactions, Herpesvirology; HIV; molecular virology; viral pathogenesis; mucosal innate immunology

Krishna Rajarathnam, PhD
Professor, Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Microbiology & Immunology
Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Physiology and Biophysics
Structural biology of chemokine and chemokine receptors; inflammation; protein therapeutics

Victor Reyes, PhD
Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology
Antigen processing; T-cell presentation; mucosal immunity; H. pylori, inflammatory bowel disease, gastric cancer, peptic ulcer disease

Robin Stephens, PhD
Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology
Immunology of malaria infection

Sanjiv Sur, MD
Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology
Allergic sensitization and asthma using molecular biology tools; role of genes in asthma

Bruno Travi, DVM, PhD
Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine/Infectious Diseases and Microbiology & Immunology
Tropical infectious diseases; parasitic diseases

Michael P. Underbrink, MD, MBA
Associate Professor, Departments of Otolaryngology and Microbiology & Immunology
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

David H. Walker, MD
Carmage and Martha Walls Distinguished Chair in Tropical Diseases
Executive Director, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases
Professor, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology & Immunology
Immunity to and pathogenesis of arthropod-transmitted obligate intracellular bacterial infections (Rickettsia and Ehrlichia)

Teh-sheng Chan, MD, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Transgenic mouse model for hepatitis C; asthma research using a mouse model; gene therapy

Premkumar Christadoss, MD
Adjunct Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Autoimmunity; cellular and molecular mechanisms of immunopathogenesis; new therapy for autoimmune diseases (e.g., myasthenia gravis)

Clifford W. Houston, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Aeromonas hydrophila; cytotoxic enterotoxin

Stanley M. Lemon, MD
Adjunct Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Internal Medicine
Molecular mechanisms involved with replication of positive-strand RNA viruses and the pathogenesis of human hepatitis viruses, particularly hepatitis C virus; antiviral drug development; mechanisms of immune evasion of hepatitis C virus

CJ Peters, MD
Adjunct Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
Virology and viral immunology; Ebola virus; Rift Valley fever virus; hantavirus; Nipah virus

Cristiana Rastellini, MD
Adjunct Professor, Departments of Surgery and Microbiology & Immunology
Organ/cellular preservation; mechanisms of acute and chronic rejection; tolerance induction; pancreatic islet transplantation; beta cell proliferation