生命科学

教育

• 免疫学博士 & Microbial Disease/Nanoscale Science, SUNY Albany College of Nanoscale Science
• Molecular 生物学 Certification, American Society for Clinical Pathology
• BS, Medical Biotechnology, SUNY Upstate Medical University

acphs所教授的课程

• 普通生物学I

• 普通生物学II

• 公共卫生微生物学

• 研究设计

• 独立研究

荣誉与成就

• Elected Secretary of the Eastern New York Branch of the American Society for 生物学
• ACPHS Provost’s Technology Award (2017)
• Society for Radical 生物学 and Medicine Young Investigator Award (2016)

ACADEMIC/RESEARCH INTERESTS

鲍曼不动杆菌 is a gram negative opportunistic pathogen that presents not only a nosocomial threat, but also specifically impacts military personnel deployed to overseas theatres of operation. 的 A. baumannii pan-genome contains a diverse armature of antibiotic resistance determinants and its genome plasticity has led to large strain differences that impart differences in persistence and virulence. 目前, multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter species account for more than 7,000 infections in the United States per year which may be exacerbated by the pathogen’s innate ability to evade host immune defenses.

病原体,包括 A. baumannii, resist the production of host-derived reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) through the upregulation of detoxifying enzymes of their antioxidant arsenal. In addition to their cytotoxic effector role, ROS/RNS also act as secondary messengers within host cells that can discreetly control cellular function.   因此, the constituents of a pathogens’ antioxidant repertoire not only protect it from oxidative stress but may also interfere with normal immune function thereby restricting mechanisms responsible for effective immunity. Several reports have indicated that the A. baumannii genome encodes for several antioxidant systems encompassing more than 11 separate proteins with the capability to detoxify most ROS/RNS species. 另外, there have been studies indicating that mutation of key antioxidants, such as the catalase family members (katG and katE) or the superoxide dismutases, is detrimental to bacterial viability. Taken together we hypothesize that A. baumannii antioxidants modulate the intracellular 氧化还原 environment to control host macrophage signaling and function. By identifying the bacterial 氧化还原 factors that modulate host immune function we can develop novel therapeutic strategies to combat antibiotic resistant nature of this pathogen.