adj_Ren_Ping_IMG_0032

Ping Ren, PhD, D(ABMM)
Professor

Department of Pathology
Associate Director of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Associate Director of CPEP at UTMB

Phone: (409) 772-5131
Email: piren@utmb.edu

    • Advanced Diagnostic Methodologies: Lead the development and evaluation of cutting-edge diagnostic technologies with a focus on infectious diseases. Conducting preclinical and clinical studies targeting emerging and re-emerging pathogens, including influenza viruses, measles virus, SARS-CoV-2, Zika virus, and Candida auris, etc. Drive research on syndromic testing panels to enhance comprehensive and rapid diagnostic capabilities.
    • Specialized Investigations in Infectious Disease Diagnoses: Conduct advanced investigations using molecular diagnostics, genotyping, and next-generation sequencing to identify bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic infections. Specialize in pathogen detection from challenging specimens such as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues and non-cultivable or non-viable samples.
    • Multidrug Resistant Fungi and Antifungal Susceptibility: Pursue research on antifungal susceptibility and drug combination testing for multidrug resistant fungi. Innovate rapid susceptibility testing approaches, including the application of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) for early detection of emerging antifungal and antibacterial resistance, supporting timely and targeted antimicrobial therapy.
  • BA Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China Biology 1991
    PhD Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA Environmental Microbiology 1996
    Post-doctoral Yale University, School of Public Health, New Haven, CT Epidemiology and Public Health 2000

  • “Centers of Excellence to Support Early Assay Development and Validation” by Cepheid

  • Professional Affiliations

    2025 - Present
    		Editorial Board of Microbiology Spectrum
    2023 - Present
    		Associate Editor of Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2023 - Present Editorial Board of Scientific Reports
    2022 - PresentAmerican Board of Medical Microbiology (ABMM) Item Development Subcommittee
    2021 - PresentEditorial Board of Journal of Microbiology
    2019 - 2022ABMM Validation Subcommittee
    2018 - PresentPan American Society for Clinical Virology
    1992 - PresentAmerican Society for Microbiology

    Appointments

    2025 - PresentAssociate DirectorCPEP-Accredited Clinical and Public Health Microbiology Fellowship Program
    Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
    2022 - PresentProfessorDepartment of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
    2015 - PresentAssociate DirectorDivision of Clinical Microbiology Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
    2015 - 2022Associate ProfessorDepartment of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
    2011 - 2015FacultyMaster of Science in Laboratory Sciences Program, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
    2000 - 2015Research ScientistMycology Laboratory, Department of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
    2000 - 2015NYSDOH Proficiency Test CoordinatorWadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
    2000 - 2007ConsultantDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
    2000Associate Research ScientistDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut

  • Selected publications (2021 – 2025, First or corresponding author only):

    1. Xue, Y.C., Aigbivbalu, L., Holekamp, K.J., Ren, P. Photo Quiz: Unexpected yeast in a premature infant: Pathogen or passenger. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2025. 63: e01111-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.01111-25 IF (2024): 6.1

    2. Tal, S.*, Vowels, J.A.*, González, D., Polychronopoulou, E., Nawgiri, R.S.#, Ren, P.# Performance evaluation of the Aptima hrHPV nucleic acid amplification and Papanicolaou co-testing in cervical cancer screening: Insights from a diverse population-based retrospective study. J. Mol. Diagn. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmoldx.2025.08.006 IF (2024): 3.4
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.

    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    3. Xue, Y.C.*, Cerqueira, F.*, Williams-Bouyer, N., Ren, P. Evaluation of a Novel Rapid Phenotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing System. Antibiotics 2025. 14: 962. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14100962 IF (2024): 4.6.

    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.

    4. Xue, Y.C., Williams-Bouyer, N., Ren, P.#, Patel, J.A.# Earlier and prolonged respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) seasons in young children compared to adults: Implications for prevention in infants. Microbiol. Spectr. 2025. e01599-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01599-25 IF (2024): 3.7
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    5. Xue, Y.C., Bertsch, J., Monacy, K., Haynes, C., Williams-Bouyer, N., Judy, B.M., Newman, P.C., Ksiazek, T.G., Marushchak, L.V., Gray, G.C., Ren, P. Enhancing diagnostic preparedness for H5N1: A validation study of H5 single-plex assay and detection across multiple platforms. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2025. 63: e00681-25. (Editor’s Pick) https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.00681-25 IF (2024): 6.1

    6. Hu, Y.*, Zou, J.*, Nguyen, M.D., Chang, H.C., Yeung, J., Hao, H., Shi, P.-Y., Ren, P.#, Xie, X.# Comparative analysis of replication and immune evasion among SARS-CoV-2 subvariants BA.2.86, JN.1, KP.2 and KP.3. mBio. 2025. 16: e03503-24. http://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.03503-24 IF (2023): 5.1
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    7. Nguyen, M.D. and Ren, P. Trends in Antifungal Resistance Among Candida Species: An Eight-Year Retrospective Study in the Galveston-Houston Gulf Coast Region. J. Fungi. 2025. 11, 232. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11030232 IF (2023): 4.2

    8. Cerqueira, F.M., Do, L., Enderle, J., Ren, P. Is the repeat worth it? - Optimizing syndromic panel pathogen detection protocols. Lab. Med. 2024. Imae100. http://doi.org/10.1093/labmed/lmae100 IF (2023): 1.0

    9. Covington, A.L., Cerqueira, F.M., Pavia, J.E., Reynoso, D., Ren, P. Complex trauma sequelae: Mycobacterium goodii and Priestia endophytica hardware infection in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. BMC Infect. Dis. 2024. 24, 1064. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-024-09970-1 IF (2023): 3.4

    10. Le, A., Rajendran, R., Enderle, J., Polychronopoulou, E., Bartsch, C., Ren, P. Frequency of nontuberculous Mycobacteria pulmonary disease during the COVID-19 pandemic at Southern Texas. Int. J. Biomed. Lab Sci. 2024. 13: 108 – 117. https://www.ijbls.org/index.php/current-issue/103-articles-2024/211-research-article-frequency-of-nontuberculous-mycobacteria-pulmonary-disease-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-at-southern-texas IF not available.

    11. Cerqueira, F.M., Bertsch, J., DeMaet, M.A., York, T., McDougal A., Patel, J.A., Ren, P. Enhancing Candida auris surveillance in high-risk settings by implementing a high-throughput molecular assay on the Hologic Fusion Open Access platform. J. Fungi. 2024. 10, 285. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10040285 IF (2023): 4.2

    12. Nielsen, M.C., Cerqueira, F.M., Kavuri, S.B., Raymond, C.M., Muneeb, A., Kudlicki, A.S., Tariq, S., Liu, M., Routh, A.L., Qiu, S., and Ren, P. Diverse clinical manifestations and challenges of mucormycosis: insights from serial cases. OFID. 2023. 10, ofid527. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofad527 IF (2022): 4.2

    13. Hu, Y.*, Zou, J.*, Kurhade, C., Deng, X., Chang, H.C., Kim, D.K., Shi, P.-Y., Ren, P.#, Xie, X.# Less neutralization evasion of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 than XBB sublineages and Ch.1.1. Emerg. Microbes Infect. 2023. 12, 2271089. https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2023.2271089 IF (2022): 13.2
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    14. Zou, J.*, Kurhade, C.*, Chang, H.C., Hu, Y., Meza, J.A., Beaver D., Trinh, K., Omlid, J., Elghetany, B., Desai, R., McCaffrey, P., Garcia J.D., Shi, P.-Y., Ren, P.#, Xie, X.# An integrated research-clinical BSL-2 platform for live SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay. Viruses. 2023. 15, 1855. https://doi.org/10.3390/v15091855 IF (2022): 5.8
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    15. Cerqueira, F.M., Saad, B., Varghese, L.E., Holekamp, K.J., and Ren, P. Photo Quiz*: PICC-associated bloodstream infection in an 87-year-old patient. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2023. 61: e01482-22. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.01482-22 IF (2022): 9.4
    *Image is featured on the cover of J. Clin. Microbiol. 2023 volume 61, issue 3.
    Cerqueira, F.M., Saad, B., Varghese, L.E., Holekamp, K.J., and Ren. P. Answer to Photo Quiz: Purpureocillium lilacinum. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2023. 61: e01483-22. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.01483-22 IF (2022): 9.4

    16. Nielsen, M.C., Clarner, P., Paroha, R., Lee, S., Thwe, P.M.#, Ren, P.# Comparison of analytical sensitivity (Limit of Detection) of Xpert MTB/RIF and Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for non-sputum specimens. Pathogens 2023. 12, 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12020157 IF (2023): 3.3
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    17. Kurhade, C.*, Zou, J.*, Xia, H., Liu, M., Chang, H.C., Ren, P.#, Xie, X.#, Shi, P.-Y.# Low neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.75.2, BQ.1.1, and XBB.1 by parental mRNA vaccine or a BA.5-bivalent booster. Nat. Med. 2022. 29: 344-347. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-02162-x IF (2021): 87.2
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    18. Thwe, P.M., Faron, M.L., Pride, D.T., Cruz, A., Gerstbrein, D., Nahmod, K.A., Bigham, L., Du, X., Lu, X., Moya, S., Ren, P. Multicenter evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert GBS LB XC Test. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2022. 60: e01356-22. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01356-22 IF (2022): 9.4

    19. Xie, X.*, Zou, J.*, Kurhade, C., Liu, M., Ren, P.#, Shi, P.-Y.# Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages by 4 doses of the original mRNA vaccine. Cell Rep. 2022. 41: 111729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111729 IF (2022): 8.8
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    20. Nielsen, M.C., Clarner, P., and Ren, P. Wrong place at the wrong maritime. Clin. Infect. Dis. 2022. 75: 907-909. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab905 IF (2022): 11.8

    21. Zou, J.*, Xie, X.*, Liu, M., Shi, P.-Y.#, Ren, P. # Neutralization titers in vaccinated patients with SARS-CoV-2 Delta breakthrough infections. mBio. 2022. 13: e01996-22. https://doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01996-22 IF (2022): 6.4
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    22. Kurhade, C.*, Zou, J.*, Xia, H., Liu, M., Yang, Q., Cutler, M., Cooper, D., Muik, A., Sahin, U., Jansen, K.U., Ren, P.#, Xie, X.#, Swanson, K.A.#, Shi, P.-Y.# Neutralization of Omicron sublineages and Deltacron SARS-CoV-2 by 3 doses of BNT162b2 vaccine or BA.1 infection. Emerg. Microbes Infect. 2022. 11: 1828-1832. https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2099305 IF (2022): 13.2
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    23. Nielsen, M.C., Peterson, J.M., Shine, B., Hornak, J.P., Esechie, A., Bhatt, S., Desai, K., Dabi, A., Felicella, M.M., Ren, P. A fatal fungal infection of Cryptococcus gattii (VGI) meningitis in Texas. OFID. 2022. 9: ofac236. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofac236 IF (2022): 4.2

    24. Zou, J.*, Xia, H.*, Shi, P.-Y., Xie, X.#, Ren, P.# A single-round infection fluorescent SARS-CoV-2 neutralization test for COVID-19 serological testing at a biosafety level-2 laboratory. Viruses. 2022. 14: 1211. http://doi.org/10.3390/v14061211 IF (2022): 5.8
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    25. Zou, J., Kurhade, C., Xia, H., Liu, M., Xie, X. #, Ren, P.#, Shi, P.-Y.# Cross-neutralization of Omicron BA.1 against BA.2 and BA.3 SARS-CoV-2. Nat. Commun. 2022. 13: 2956. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30580-5 IF (2022): 16.6
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    26. Zou, J.*, Xia, H.*, Xie, X.*, Kurhade, C., Machado, R.R.G., Weaver, S.C., Ren, P.#, Shi, P.-Y.# Neutralization against Omicron SARS-CoV-2 from previous non-Omicron infection. Nat. Commun. 2022. 13: 852. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28544-w IF (2022): 16.6
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    #These authors are co-corresponding authors.

    27. Nielsen, M.C.*, Machado, R.R.G.*, Mitchell, B.M., McConnell, A.J., Saada, N.I., Weaver, S.C., Ren, P. A comparison of Seegene Technologies Novaplex SARS-CoV-2 Variants I, II, & IV assays 1 with spike gene sequencing for detection of known SARS-CoV-2 variants. J. Mol. Diagn. 2022. 24: 455-461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmoldx.2022.02.001 IF (2022): 4.1
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.
    (This paper was selected by JMD for a press release. https://www.elsevier.com/about/press-releases/research-and-journals/easier-faster-assay-enables-many-more-laboratories-to-identify-covid-19-variants) 

    28. Thwe, P.M.*, Maiyo, E.*, and Ren, P. Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 assay performance: a year in review. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2021. 101:115536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2021.115536 IF (2021): 3.0
    *These authors have contributed equally to this study.

    29. Nielsen, M.C., Reynoso, D., Ren, P. A brief case: A fatal case of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with Coccidioides in Texas – another challenge we face. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2021. 59: e00163-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00163-21 IF (2021): 11.7
    Nielsen, M.C., Reynoso, D., Ren, P. Closing the brief case: A fatal case of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with Coccidioides in Texas – another challenge we face. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2021. 59: e00164-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.00164-21 IF (2021): 11.7

    30. Shi, A.C. and Ren, P. SARS-CoV-2 serology testing: progress and challenges. J. Immunol. Methods. 2021. 494: 113060. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jim.2021.113060 IF (2021): 2.3

    31. Xie, X., Nielsen, M.C., Muruato, A.E., Fontes-Garfias, C.R., Ren, P. Evaluation of a SARS-CoV-2 lateral flow assay using the plaque reduction neutralization test. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2021. 99:115248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.115248 IF (2021): 3.0

    32. Thwe, P.M. and Ren, P. Analysis of sputum/tracheal aspirate and nasopharyngeal samples for SARS-CoV-2 detection by laboratory-developed test and Panther Fusion System. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2021. 99:115228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2020.115228 IF (2021): 3.0