C. S. Mott Children's Hospital
Infectious Diseases
Janet R. Gilsdorf, M.D.
(gilsdorf@umich.edu)
Research Program:
The Haemophilus influenzae Research Laboratory, funded by the National Institutes of Health, studies the interactions between bacteria and humans during H. influenzae colonization and infection. The goal of these studies is to identify strategies to prevent sinusitis, otitis media, and bronchitis caused by H. influenzae.
Current ongoing studies include a molecular and evolutionary analysis of H. influenzae virulence factors associated with asymptomatic colonization, acute otitis media and bacterial transmission; molecular mechanisms of H. influenzae antigenic diversity; and molecular epidemiology of H. influenzae colonization and infection.
Laboratory Investigators:
Janet R. Gilsdorf, MD, Professor and Director
Carl Marrs, PhD, Associate Professor
Kirk McCrea, PhD, Research Assistant Professor
May Patel , MS, Research Associate
Jingping Xie, MD Researrch Associate
Arsala Bakhtyar, MD, Post-doctoral Fellow
Sara Sandstedt, PhD, Post-doctoral Fellow
Nate LaCross, Doctoral Student
Carla Telarico, Doctoral Student
Mark Schmidt, Doctoral Student
Nichole Phillips, Master's Student
Christine Glashee Master's Student
Collaborators:
The Center for Molecular and Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases http://sitemaker.umich.edu/macepid is a multi-discipline center promoting laboratory and field studies related to infectious diseases.
Janet Gilsdorf's Profile and Recent Publications
Alexander Blackwood, M.D., Ph.D.
(rab@umich.edu)
Innate Host Defense Research
Research in this laboratory is focused on the human cellular response to bacterial invasion, specifically, the mechanism of neutrophil degranulation. The primary goal is to identify and characterize the signaling and biochemical events mediating the actual fusion of neutrophil granules with the forming phagosome. We have developed both cellular and cell free assays to model the neutrophil secretory system evaluating the interplay between fluxes in intracellular calcium concentration, changes in membrane phospholipid composition, protein kinase activation and cytosolic and membrane proteins. Recent investigations have focused on examining the role of lipid compartments (rafts) in granule plasma membrane fusion.
Alexander Blackwood's Profile
John J. LiPuma, M.D.
(jlipuma@umich.edu)
Research Program
Dr. LiPuma directs the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Burkholderia cepacia Research Laboratory and Repository at the University of Michigan . Research in this laboratory focuses on infectious diseases in persons with cystic fibrosis, with an emphasis on the epidemiology, ecology, natural history, clinical microbiology, taxonomy and pathogenicity of bacteria in the Burkholderia cepacia complex.
Current studies include analyses of the population genetic structure and evolution of B. cepacia complex; the natural history of infection by B. cepacia complex and related bacterial species in cystic fibrosis; virulence factors and pathogenic mechanisms of B. cepacia complex: and molecular epidemiology of B. cepacia complex and related species.
John LiPuma's Profile and Select Publications
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Kirk W. McCrea, Ph.D.
(sigmb@umich.edu)
This program focuses on the molecular epidemiology and genetic variations of H. influenzae factors important in causing acute otitis media.
Parvathy T. Pillai, M.D.
Dr. Pillai's research interests include molecular epidemiology of Group B Streptococcus.
Jason B. Weinberg, M.D.
(jbwein@umich.edu)
Research in Dr. Weinberg’s laboratory focuses on host inflammatory responses to acute infection, issues of viral persistence, and interactions between the two processes.
Using mouse models of adenovirus respiratory infection, his laboratory works to define mechanisms by which viral infection induces host inflammatory responses and the contributions that specific components of these host responses make to the control of acute viral infection. To determine the ability of persistent viral infection to modulate host responses to subsequent stimuli, we analyze immunologic and physiologic changes induced in mice persistently infected with a mouse adenovirus that are then challenged with unrelated infectious or allergic stimuli. Information derived from these studies will enhance the understanding of the pathogenesis of both adenovirus infection and adenovirus-associated chronic lung disease. Implicating a specific viral pathogen in the pathogenesis of chronic lung disease will provide opportunities to develop novel prevention or treatment strategies.
Additional work in Dr. Weinberg’s laboratory involves defining inflammatory mediators that contribute to the reactivation of a latent virus. The human gammaherpesviruses are Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8). Reactivation from latency and subsequent lytic viral replication are essential components of the gammaherpesvirus life cycle. Specific exogenous stimuli that trigger reactivation are not yet well defined. Work using a mouse model of coinfection tests the hypothesis that acute infection with a second pathogen is capable of inducing reactivation of latent murine gammaherpesvirus.
Jason Weinberg's Profile and Recent Publications
