Rotation projects include development of nanobodies for prevention and treatment of mucosal disease (viral and bacteria).
Fiocruz-Minas Caroline Junqueira, PhD - Staff Scientist Camila Brabosa, PhD student - Mapping of CD8 T cell-specifc Epitopes from Malaria Blood Stage Gregorio Almeida, DVM, PhD - Immunology of Asymptomatic Malaria Guilherme Maia, PhD - Innate Lymphocytes in Malaria Isabella Hirako, PhD - Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells in Malaria Júlia Castro, MSc student - Chagas Disease Vaccine Larissa Pereira, MSc student - Inflammatory Caspases in Malaria Kely Mateucci, PhD - Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells Metabolism in Malaria Milton Pereira, PhD - Caspases and inflammasomes in Malaria and Chagas Disease Natalia Satchiko Souza, PhD - CD8+ T cells in malaria UMASS Danielle Durso, PhD - IRAKs and Myddosomes in host resistance to T. gondii Patricia Assis, PhD - Host Clock genes and Malaria Ogooluwa Ojelabi, PhD - Glucose Metabolism and Malaria
Focus: Mycobacterial cell wall synthesis, mycobacterial genetic manipulation
Our Danny Cancer Fund Chair in Biomedical Research I
A postdoctoral position is available to study in this laboratory. Contact Dr. Kelliher for additional details.
Please visit the Kelliher Lab website at: http://labs.umassmed.edu/kelliherlab/ to learn more about our current research areas. 1. Identify genes/pathways that mediate leukemia-initiating cell survival 2. Understand the molecular basis of glucocorticoid resistance in leukemia 3. Examine contribution of RIPK1 kinase in inflammatory and autoimmune disease mouse models. 4. Reveal tissue-specific roles for RIPK1 in cell death and inflammation. Use conditional Ripk1 allele to investigate effects of Ripk1 deletion in liver, pancreas and antigen presenting cells.
Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair II
Focus: Mucosal inflammation, host: pathogen interactions, and cancer biology
Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair III
Please email Kate.Fitzgerald@umassmed.edu if you are interested in rotations.
Rotation Projects Study the interaction of the ssDNA annealing protein Bet and its cognate exonuclease with dsDNA ends. Compare wild type Bet with one or mutant Bet proteins. Use both genetic and biochemical studies to answer the question of how this annealase binds to ssDNA and promotes recombination. Develop recombineering technologies for M. tuberculosis involving the electroporation of oligos containing clinically relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Generate a recombineering system for Pseudomonas aeruginosa via the electroporation of PCR substrates into electrocompetent cells containing PA phage Red-like recombination systems.
Focus: DNA Mismatch repair mechanisms in M. smegmatis; recombineering technology for gene replacement in bacterial pathogens, M. tuberculosis drug discovery.
LAB ROTATION PROJECTS AVAILABLE -- PLEASE CONTACT SAM BEHAR FOR MORE INFORMATION
Focus: We seek to understand how the causative agent of tuberculosis, namely the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis evades host immunity, and how different components of the immune response work together to contain infection. Our ultimate goal is to inform vaccine development and the design of host directed therapy.
George F. Booth Chair in the Basic Sciences
Rotation Projects <p >We have identified a number of bacterial pathways that are required for bacterial viability or virulence. We are particularly interested in: Phosphosignaling systems that regulate cell wall synthesis Metabolic regulatory mechanisms that trigger the “dormancy” response observed during infection. <p >A variety of genetic, biochemical, and informatic methods will be used to define the functions of these genes and the role played by each during infection. <p >
Teresita del Nino Jesus Padilla-Benavides PhD
Claudia A. Vilchis Nestor. Visiting Scholar from CINVESTAV-IPN, MEXICO
Focus: Director of the Sanderson Center for Optics Experimentation (SCOPE)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology