Infectious Disease

Below are UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences researchers working on projects related to infectious disease.

Find information on our Host-Pathogen CoBRE program here.

David S. Bradley, Ph.D., Associate Professor (Ph.D., University of South Dakota School of Medicine): Influence of microbial agents and genetic polymorphism on altered host immune responses. Potential of infectious agents to act as "natural adjuvants" in individuals predisposed to autoimmunity. Potential role of mixed haplotype MHC class II molecules in the induction of polychondritis.

Catherine A. Brissette, Ph.D., Associate Professor (Ph.D., University of Washington, 2006): Bacteria-host interactions with pathogenic spirochetes. Lyme disease. Epigenetic modifications in response to B. burgdorferi infection of the nervous system.

Nadeem Khan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (Ph.D., Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India): Role of IL-17 receptor signaling in acute respiratory inflammation (neutrophilia and tissue damage) caused by influenza virus and its role in the promotion of airway Streptococcus pneumoniae pathogenesis.

Masfique Mehedi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada): Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - host interactions: by delineating the mechanism of filopodia-driven RSV cell-to-cell spread, novel insights into RSV biology and targets for therapeutics development will be identified

Bibhuti Mishra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor: Neuroimmunology of parasitic diseases; C-Type lectin receptors in immunopathogenesis of brain parasitic infections; Helminth Immunoregulation- Characterization of immunosuppressive parasitic molecules, host receptors they interact with, modulation of signaling pathways and epigenetic mechanisms involved; Parasitic factors as therapeutic targets.

Matthew L. Nilles, Ph.D., Associate Professor (Ph.D., Washington State University, 1995): Regulation of toxin secretion in Yersinia pestis. Roles of the Y. pestis regulators LcrG and LcrV in the translocation of toxins into eukaryotic cells in response to bacteria-cell contact.

Thad Rosenberger, Ph.D., Associate Professor (Ph.D., Ohio State University): Identification of lipid-mediated signaling pathways that contribute to the progression of inflammatory events in the central nervous system. Identifying the specific roles phospholipases A2 and C play in the progression of disease. Distinguishing the role that ether phospholipid metabolism has in normal and injured brain.

Jyotika Sharma, Ph.D., Associate Professor (Ph.D., Kanpur University): Immune responses and host-pathogen interactions in pulmonary bacterial infections, particularly those leading to sepsis development.

Min Wu, Ph.D., Professor (Ph.D., University of Leeds, United Kingdom): Mechanism of DNA damage and repair in lung oxidation and inflammation.