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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

  • FNU Aditi, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Viral infection, neuroinflammation, stress response, cell death

    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

    Trevor Brasel, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Study Director, Regulated Studies, Institutional Office of Regulated Nonclinical Studies

    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

    Imran Chowdhury, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    Alison Coady, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology

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

    Yingzi Cong, PhD
    Samuel Baron Distinguished Professor
    Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Pathology
    Director, Germ-Free Mouse Facility
    Mucosal immunology; host-microbiota interaction at mucosal surface; pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases

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

    Laura Dickson, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Ecology and evolution of mosquito-virus interactions, mosquito microbiome, arboviral emergence

    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
    Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Associate Dean for Student Affairs ad interim, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
    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

    Maria Giraldo, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    Matthew Huante, PhD
    Instructor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

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

    Haitao Hu, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Director, Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core Lab
    HIV/AIDS, Emerging viruses, Host-virus interactions, Antiviral Immunity, Epigenetics

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

    Bryan Johnson, PhD
    Assistant Professor (NT – Research)
    Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    Gary Kobinger, PhD, OM, MSC
    Director, Galveston National Laboratory
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology And Immunology
    John Sealy Distinguished University Chair in Tropical and Emerging Virology

    Maureen Laroche, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Global Health and Emerging Diseases
    Medical entomology; Ticks; MALDI-TOF MS; Rickettsia; Bartonella, Displaced population health

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

    James LeDuc, PhD
    Adjunct Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    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

    Yuejin Liang, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    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
    Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Associate Director, GNL BSL-4 Core B

    David W. Niesel, PhD
    Adjunct Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    Kenneth Plante, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    Ricardo Rajsbaum, PhD
    Adjunct Associate 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

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

    Parimal Samir, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology
    Stress granules, inflammasomes, programmed cell death, systems biology, liquid-liquid phase separation, innate immune system

    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

    Keer Sun, PhD
    Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology

    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
    Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Academic Enterprise
    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

  • Courtney B. Woosley, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Ebolaviruses, Marburg virus, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, Lassa virus, BSL-4 pathogens, emerging viruses, nonhuman primate models, development of vaccines and therapeutics, spatial biology

    • Wenjing Yang, MD, PhD
    Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
    Intestinal homeostasis and Inflammation; T cell metabolism; Diet; Microbiota

    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

    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

    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

    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

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

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

    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

    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

    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