Microbiology and Immunology - Molecular Pathology

Microbiology and Immunology Faculty

Microbiology faculty within the Molecular Pathology training program are interested in human diseases involving bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. Students interested in microbiology may select either a customized, focused training program (Microbiology Program Time-Table) or a more general training program in which microbiology classes are selected as electives (General Curriculum Time-Table). The Microbiology training program represents the combined efforts of faculty from UCSD School of Medicine, the Departments of Biology and Biochemistry, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and San Diego State University. As such, it affords broad microbiology training, and focuses on open questions and emerging mechanisms within the field. (Research Overview, Additional Microbiology Activities)

Immunology faculty focus on basic mechanisms of acquired and innate immunity, and the molecular basis of autoimmune disease. which is a breakdown in the mechanisms of self tolerance. Monthly conferences on cutting-edge topics in immunity and auto-immunity are combined with a discussion of specific cases of autoimmune disease being treated by research physicians. (Additional Immunity/Autoimmune Disease Activities)

Faculty

Katerina Akassoglou	UCSD SOM	Autoimmune CNS disease, multiple sclerosis. New mouse models for multiple sclerosis.
Jack Bui	UCSD SOM	Immunologic recognition of tumors
Dennis Carson	UCSD SOM	Autoimmune Disease, Cancers of the lymphoid tissues
Jack Dixon	UCSD SOM	Phosphatases in cell division/cancer, axonal pathfinding, and bacterial pathogenesis. Functions of yersinia (Plague) virulence proteins.
Lars Eckmann	UCSD SOM	Cellular and molecular pathogenesis of enteric infections. Mechanisms of intestinal host defense and inflammation.
Joshua Fierer	UCSD SOM	Polymorphonuclear leukocytes and innate immunity to Salmonella infections in mice. Acquired and natural immunity to Coccidioides immitis.
Richard Gallo	UCSD SOM	Antimicrobial defense mechanisms. Innate immune mechanisms in skin and saliva. Bactericidal peptides.
Frances Gillin	UCSD SOM	Molecular biology of the Giardia life cycle. Giardia pathology.
John Guatelli	UCSD SOM	Nef protein function in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
Ziwei Huang	Burnham	Receptor-ligand interactions and signal transduction cascades underlying human disease, with a focus on apoptosis
Martin Kagnoff	UCSD SOM	Mucosal immunity and inflammation, host mucosal responses to microbial infection, inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease.
Michael Karin	UCSD SOM	Signaling through TNF receptors, MAP kinases, and NF-kB in normal and cancer cells. Host-pathogen signaling mechanisms. Pathogen virulence mechanisms.
Thomas Kipps	UCSD SOM	Immunology, Gene therapy, Lymphoma, Neoplasia, Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Arthritis
Robert Liddington	Burnham	Crystallography of adhesion proteins. Integrin signaling in normal and cancer cells. Virulence factor-host interactions.
Thomas Mustelin	Burnham	Tyrosine phosphatases, cell cycle regulation. T cell activation. T cell receptor signaling.
Victor Nizet	UCSD SOM	Streptococcal virulence mechanisms. Invasion. Bacterial infections, meningitis, toxic shock.
Sharon Reed	UCSD SOM	Virulence factors in protozoan parasites, Entamoeba histolytica; Toxoplasma gondii.
Douglas Richman	UCSD SOM	Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) neutralization, immune evasion.
Robert Rickert	Burnham	B cell signaling during antigen stimulation
Deborah Spector	UCSD Biology	Molecular biology & pathogenesis of Human Cytomegliovirus (HCMV), birth defects.
Robert Terkeltaub	UCSD SOM	Mechanisms of osteoarthritis
Bruce Torbett	Scripps	Transcription regulation in myeloid differentiation. Myeloid leukemia. HIV protease structure/function and HIV resistance mechanisms.
Ajit Varki	UCSD SOM	Sialic-acid-binding proteins in innate immunity and tumor metastasis. Sialic acids in host-pathogen interactions.
Joseph Vinetz	UCSD SOM	Malaria and leptospirosis. Strategies of blocking malaria transmission. Mechanisms leptospirosis pathogenesis.
Ian Wilson	Scripps	Crystallography of cancer targets, HIV proteins, and immunoreceptors.

Training for Careers in Biomedical Research

Training for Careers in
Biomedical Research