Our People

The EPIC faculty is a team of dedicated researchers with interests that range from understanding mechanisms of drug resistance in fungal pathogens to fatty acid metabolism in kinetoplastid parasites. We are united in our focus on some of the world’s most troubling and neglected disease-causing organisms.

Christopher Chouinard
Chemistry
Our group focuses on the development of mass spectrometry technology and methods to better characterize complex systems (i.e., the metabolome) in eukaryotic pathogenesis and other chemical/biological/forensic applications. Specific projects include design of novel high-resolution ion mobility-mass spectrometry (HRIM-MS) techniques, targeted chemical probes for structure elucidation and quantification, and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) for spatial metabolomics

Sourabh Dhingra
Biological Sciences
The overarching goal of the Dhingra lab is to understand the molecular mechanisms associated with pathogenesis and azole drug tolerance in invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. We use molecular, biochemical and cellular approaches as well as murine models to understand the role of ncRNAs in pathobiology and azole drug tolerance of Aspergillus fumigatus.

Stephen Dolan
Genetics and Biochemistry
I study microbial interactions in human infections, specifically complex communities formed by multiple species, resulting in polymicrobial infections. My primary research focus is on respiratory infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), where the abnormal mucus makes them susceptible to various bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens. Instead of studying a single model organism, I intentionally pursued broad training on multiple co-infecting human pathogens (notably Aspergillus and Pseudomonas). This comprehensive, multisystem approach allows us to unravel the intricate mechanisms of communication between microbes during infection.
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Zhicheng Dou
Biological Sciences
Our research group focuses on unraveling the complex mechanisms by which Toxoplasma gondii acquires and utilizes nutrients to sustain intracellular replication, aiming to identify potential targets within the parasite’s nutrient metabolism pathways for novel drug development. Additionally, we seek to deepen the understanding of subcellular processes involved in the pathogenesis of Histomonas parasites. Our efforts also extend to investigating and characterizing the transmissible form of Histomonas that facilitates the spread of infection among turkey flocks.

Manuel Fierro
Genetics and Biochemistry
Our lab is interested in studying the biology of Plasmodium to identify novel points of attack that can lead to novel antimalarial or vaccine development. We use a wide range of functional and reverse genetic approaches and employ novel molecular tool development to understand the host-pathogen interactions present during blood-stage infection of Plasmodium falciparum by characterizing the essential process of host-cell remodeling.

Cheryl Ingram-Smith
Genetics and Biochemistry
The interests of the lab include the transcriptional, proteomic, and metabolic changes that occur during encystation and excystation in Entamoeba histolytica.

Andrew Jezewski
Genetics and Biochemistry
Identifying and characterizing the virulence required mechanisms of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Lukasz Kozubowski
Genetics and Biochemistry
Our lab studies how cell division and stress response mechanisms intersect and contribute to fungal pathogenicity. To address our questions we utilize Cryptococcus neoformans, an encapsulated, opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes severe, often fatal, infections, primarily pulmonary and central nervous system meningitis in immunocompromised individuals, especially those with AIDS.

Jessica Larsen
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
We develop nanoparticle tools that respond to pathologic stimuli to deliver drugs across biologic nervous system barriers including the blood-brain barrier and the blood-nerve barrier.

James Lewis
Genetics and Biochemistry
My research goal is to understand how populations adapt to novel selection pressures, focusing on: 1) What are the molecular mechanisms and changes that produce novel adaptive phenotypes?, 2) How do these mechanisms evolve?, and 3) How does adaptive change dictate subsequent evolution within and between populations?

Rodrigo Martinez-Duarte
School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering

• Automated sample preparation and detection systems that enable the timely accurate identification of pathogens
• Characterization of cell properties and behavior under electric fields

Meredith Morris
Genetics and Biochemistry
Research in the Morris laboratory focuses on the cell biology of parasitic protozoa, using Trypanosoma brucei as a model system to understand how subcellular organization and post-translational regulation shape parasite metabolism and survival.
In parallel, the lab investigates SET domain protein lysine methyltransferases and their roles in regulating non-histone proteins involved in metabolism and organelle function.

James Morris
Genetics and Biochemistry
James Morris is a founding member of EPIC.  His work focuses on resolving how protozoan parasites sense and metabolize the important sugar glucose during infection of their human host.  While his first love is the African trypanosome, he has recently initiated studies on the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri, a parasite that can be found in the pond that abuts his neighborhood.

Kim Paul
Genetics and Biochemistry
I am interested in fatty acid metabolism in Trypanosoma brucei and its distantly related cousin, Crithidia fasciculata, specifically the regulation of the balance between de novo synthesis and uptake from the host. I also am interested in the history of tropical medicine, specifically the role of Lady Elizabeth Bruce in the scientific discoveries of her husband, Sir David Bruce. I am also interested in pedogogical approaches to scientific writing.

Erica Porter
Math and Statistical Sciences (LinkedIn)

Emily Rosowski
Biological Sciences
My lab focuses on understanding host-pathogen interactions, using the larval zebrafish as a model host. We are currently studying how innate immune mechanisms control infections with the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus.

Anna Seekatz
Biological Sciences

• Gut microbiota; microbiome; fecal microbiota transplantation; antibiotic perturbation
• Role of human-associated microbiomes in health and disease
  Infectious diseases; Clostridioides difficile; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Trichuris muris

Michael Sehorn
Genetics and Biochemistry
My laboratory strives to understand the mechanism of homology-directed repair of DNA double-strand breaks mediated by RAD51 and DMC1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Entamoeba histolytica and humans.
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Kerry Smith – EPIC Director
Genetics and Biochemistry
My group is interested in the acetate metabolism in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus.
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Alexis Stamatikos
Food, Nutrition, and Packaging Sciences
Exploring the role of TLR-mediated immune responses in kinetoplastid parasite infections.

Lesly Temesvari
Biological Sciences
The overall goal of the Temesvari laboratory is to understand the molecular mechanisms regulating a virulence in several pathogenic amoebae, Entamoeba histolytica and Acanthamoeba castellanii. These parasites causes amoebic dysentery and liver abscess) and keratitis, respectively. The Temesvari laboratory focuses on parasite-host interactions, the stress response in the parasite, vesicle trafficking, lipid rafts and drug-repurposing.

Alexey Vertegel
Bioengineering
My research interests are in the area of antimicrobial and antioxidant treatments and coatings. My current research portfolio includes projects on the development of natural long-lasting disinfectant, antimicrobial and immune suppressing coatings on surgical implants such Kirschner’s wires and hernia repair meshes, and development of anti-Clostridium natural hand sanitizer. We also work on the development of chitosan-based antifungal agents for agricultural applications.

Katelyn Walzer
Biological Sciences
Our lab studies gene regulation, expression, and function across the Cryptosporidium life cycle. We currently focus on male and female development as sexual reproduction is required for continuous infection and transmission of the parasite. We utilize both cell culture and mouse models of infection.

Daniel Whitehead
Chemistry
EPIC-related projects in the Whitehead lab focus on the synthesis of small molecules and conjugates for the development of therapeutic and drug delivery strategies for treating eukaryotic pathogen infections.
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