You can find a brief description of each member's research interests
by searching for their name, topic, or keyword.

Our laboratory interest is in bacterial pathogenesis and the innate immune system, with a special focus on human streptococcal and staphylococcal infections. Using a molecular genetic approach, we seek to discover and characterize bacterial virulence determinants involved in cytotoxicity, adherence, invasion, inflammation, molecular mimicry and resistance to immunologic clearance. We also investigate the contribution of host factors such as antimicrobial peptides, leukocyte surface receptors, signal transduction pathways, and transcription factors in defense against invasive bacterial infection. Novel treatment strategies for infectious diseases are sought from natural product libraries, targeted neutralization of bacterial virulence phenotypes, and pharmacologic augmentation of host phagocyte function.

Keywords: Keywords: Infectious Diseases, Bacteria, Virulence Factors, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Toxins, Sepsis, Meningitis, Blood-Brain Barrier, Immunology, Innate Immunity, Antibiotics

Track(s):
Microbiology/Immunology
Molecular Pharmacology

BMS Focus Areas:
Glycobiology