Medical Microbiology and Immunology

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MMI Graduate Program Participated in 2021 Graduate Programs Fair

On December 6, UToledo hosted a Spring Graduate and Professional Programs Fair where departments from across the campus were available to discuss the opportunities available in their programs. 

Click here to Learn More about the MMI Track graduate program.

Senior doctoral student Irum Syed recently published a review of immune evasion strategies used by Burkholderia pathogens in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.  While working with Dr. Mark Wooten in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Irum identified a previously-undiscovered mechanism that the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei can use to survive in humans and cause disease. Her work has the potential to lead to new treatment strategies for infected patients, but it also opens the door into a new area of research in the Burkholderia field. The purpose of the Frontiers review is to bridge the gap between the current state of the field and her own findings.  

"The complement system is a notoriously complicated part of the immune system," Irum shared with us. "There don't seem to be many Burkholderia researchers focusing on how these bacteria interact with the complement system, so we decided to precede our research publication with a review. This review emphasizes the importance of understanding how Burkholderia and complement interact, and ensures that the impact of our own research will be properly recognized."

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Congratulations to Sukanya Chakravarty on her Toledo Blade article, "UT researchers look to off label drug to help attack fatty liver disease" published on November 1, 2021

Sukanya Chakravarty

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‘Day in the Life of a Graduate Student’ video series continues with focus on Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Hear directly from our graduate students in various programs
at The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. 

Medical Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) educates and trains graduate students for careers investigating the microorganisms that are relevant to human health and the immune system that allows us to overcome infection as well as to reject transplantation of organs and tissues.

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U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur Reports $1.77 Million Slated for Research on Harmful Algal Blooms

Dr. Jason Huntley, associate professor of medical microbiology and immunology, discussed the continued federal support for his research. 
Click Here to Read the Article

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Welcome New Graduate Students

Click here for more photos

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Investigators awarded a grant to study COVID-19 vaccination efficacy in transplant patients

Stepkowski                         Rees
Investigators from our college recently received a 2-year, $700,000 grant to study the efficacy of anti-SARS-CoV2 vaccines in kidney transplant patients protecting from COVID-19. It is a well-known fact that the effectiveness of any vaccine is inferior in transplant recipients, who are chronically immunosuppressed.

Faculty members Dr. Stanislaw Stepkowski (Principle Investigator and professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology) and Dr. Michael Rees (Co-Investigator and professor and vice chair in the Department of Urology) plan to test up to 400 kidney transplant recipients for their immune response to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Their scientific project plan is to examine in detail SARS-Co-2-specific antibody production as well as SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses, as only full efficacies engagement of B and T cells produce the best protection.

Consequently, the investigators plan to use a panel of quantitative assays to measure SARS-CoV-2 specific IgM, IgG, and IgA antibodies. The group's working hypothesis is that all three antibodies are necessary for the best protection, as IgG is active in the bloodstream and tissues whereas IgA is most active in mucosal surfaces in the mouth, nose, and lungs.

The team also includes an expert in human immunology, Dr. Ritu Chakravarti, and two virologists, Drs. Saurabh Chattopadhyay and Tomoaki Ogino. The plan is to study in detail immune responses to the original SARS-CoV-2 virus but also to mutants such as delta SARS-CoV-2 and other possibly appearing new mutants.

Since the comparison will be made with non-immunosuppressed volunteers, the investigators plan to appeal to our College of Medicine and Life Sciences community to serve as controls for these studies. If you would like to help them, contact the clinical team by sending an email to: Mary.Brown@utoledo.edu

Click Here to Read the UToledo News Article

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Apurva Lad, Ph.D.

September 23, 2021

Email: apurva.lad@utoledo.edu

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In the Toledo Blade: UT fills in officials over some crisis-inspired Lake Erie Research

Jason Huntley, Ph.D.
Faculty members on the UToledo Water Task Force discuss their wide variety of research regarding the health of Lake Erie. Dr. David Kennedy, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, said the University's public-health component is looking at ways microcystin can affect human health when it's ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Dr. Steve Haller, associate professor in the Department of Medicine, said that evidence shows airborne, skin, or direct consumption of microcystin can exacerbate problems for people with inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Jason Huntley, associate professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, said people often don't realize there are many good forms of bacteria, such as those used to make beer, wine, yogurt, insulin, and other common products. 

Saurabh Chattopadhyay, Ph.D.

UT also is one of several universities working with the Ohio Department of Health on collecting and analyzing raw sewage samples for the coronavirus, research that can help tip off public health officials when new variants are coming during the pandemic.   Saurabh Chattopadhyay, a UT assistant professor of virology, said the monitoring network began in Lucas County last spring.  "We process and extract the RNA from this water twice a week. Then, we report data to the Ohio Department of Health twice a week," he said.

Click Here to Read the Article
UToledo Feature: Safeguarding Water

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10/07/2021: Graduate Student Lab Coat Ceremony 

On Thursday, Oct. 7, we will officially welcome our new graduate students at the Biomedical Science Graduate Program's annual lab coat ceremony. We will present them with new lab coats courtesy of The University of Toledo Alumni Association, which pays for the white coats given out.

The welcome reception begins at 1 p.m. inside the Lloyd A. Jacobs Interprofessional Immersive Simulation Center (IISC) and the ceremony begins at 1:45 p.m.

Beginning their journey, students seek Master's, Ph.D. and dual degrees in research tracks that include cancer biology, medical microbiology and immunology, molecular medicine and neurosciences and neurological disorders.

 Please join us in wishing a warm Rocket welcome to the new students!

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Members of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences Faculty and Staff were honored September 24, 2021, at a special virtual meeting.  Below are the faculty and staff recognized from the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology:

DEAN’S AWARD FOR New Investigator Research Excellence

saurabh chattopadhyay, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology

Nominator Note: "Over the last five years, he has transformed his research to the next level. Dr. Chattopadhyay is an outstanding scientist with 52 publications in high-impact journals. It should be stated that a number of these articles were published from his own laboratory at The University of Toledo. The research in his laboratory at UToledo has been funded continuously by national, regional, and local grants."

DEAN’S AWARD for Outstanding Staff Career Achievement

celia egan

Accountant III, College of Medicine and Life Sciences

Nominator Note: "Ms. Egan has remarkable work ethic and has displayed exemplary service to the department. She works very well with the faculty, staff, and students. The faculty work with her on a regular basis and have praised her for her knowledge and ability to troubleshoot any budget issues they may encounter. Celia works at a high level of standards and is not afraid to share ideas for improvements within the department and the University."

CONGRATULATIONS!

Awardees were recognized during a celebratory dinner on Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Dr. Christopher Cooper, Dean of COMLS, Dr. Saurabh Chattopadhyay, and Dr. Kevin, Pain, Chair of MMI

Dr. Saurabh Chattopadhyay, Dr. Kevin Pan, & Dr. Randall Worth

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MMI Student Awarded NIH Predoctoral Fellowship

Congratulations to Joshua Breidenbach, a Ph.D. student in the Departments of Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Immunology, who recently received an NIH F31 fellowship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

This prestigious award is one of the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA), which is designed to enable promising predoctoral students to obtain individualized, mentored research training from outstanding faculty sponsors while conducting dissertation research in scientific health-related fields relevant to the missions of the participating NIH Institutes and Centers. The proposed mentored research training reflects the candidate’s dissertation research project and enhances the individual’s potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientist. Some of our own faculty have started their careers with this award! 

Joshua’s fellowship is titled "Inhalation Exposure to Aerosolized Cyanotoxins Worsens Pre-Existing Asthma via Activation of Granulocytic Inflammation."

His project will be completed under the mentorship of Dr. Steven Haller and Dr. David Kennedy in the Department of Medicine as well as an interdisciplinary mentoring team from the UToledo Departments of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (Drs. Mark Wooten and Stanislaw Stepkowski), Medicine (Drs. James Willey and Jeff Hammersley), Pathology (Dr. Amira Gohara), Chemistry (Dr. Dragan Isailovic), Pharmacology (Dr. Nikolai Modyanov), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Dr. Kris Kulp), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Dr. Justin Teeguarden), University of Michigan (Dr. Andy Ault), and Wayne State University (Dr. Judy Westerick). 

Best of luck to Joshua as he pursues this exciting research!

Click Here to Learn More

Click Here to Read the UToledo News Article

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The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) welcomed their department to Fall 2021 with a Welcome Lunch on September 20

The department was able to introduce their new incoming first-year students to the department with an introduction where the current students shared their primary research and then split up into small groups on the patio for lunch.  It was a great opportunity for the faculty and students to connect while enjoying the beautiful weather on campus!

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Congratulations to Smrithi Sugumaran Menon on her Toledo Blade article, "UT research plot how to keep our immune system from turning on itself" published on September 6, 2021

Smrithi Sugumaran Menon

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Congratulations to Joshua Breidenbach on his Toledo Blade article, "UT research investigates how inhaling cyanotoxins affect our health" published on August 2, 2021

Joshua Breidenbach

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Dr. Jyl Matson referenced in The Daily Beast article, "Colorado Girl's Plague Death Is Tragic but Exceedingly Rare"

Dr. Jyl Matson, associate professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, discusses how people who hunt prairie dogs or otherwise interact with them should consider themselves at higher risk for the plague.

Click Here to Read the Article

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NIH Funds UToledo Researcher's New Model to Study COVID-19, Hypertension

Using CRISPR gene-editing technology, Dr. Bina Joe and her team from the College of Medicine and Life Sciences and the Center for Hypertension and Precision Medicine have engineered a new rat model that is prone to hypertension and is testing its susceptibility to COVID-19.  The project has received a two-year grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases totaling $425,000.

Dr. Joe is working on the project with co-investigators Dr. Jason Huntley, associate professor of medical microbiology and immunology, and Dr. Saurabh Chattopadhyay, assistant professor of medical microbiology and immunology, in the College of Medicine and Life Sciences.

Click Here to Read the UToledo Article

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The Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology welcomes new faculty member:

Laura Mike, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor

Dr. Laura Mike has accepted an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, effective July 1. Her laboratory at the University of Toledo is studying the mechanisms employed by Klebsiella pneumoniae to cause pneumonia and urinary tract infections. Dr. Mike’s expertise is in bacterial pathogenesis, having studied Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus anthracis, and Escherichia coli in her graduate and postdoctoral research. She was most recently appointed as a Research Investigator at the University of Michigan. She brings with her a K22 Career Development grant from the NIH.

WELCOME!

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MMI Faculty Member Serving as Associate Editor for National Journal for Immunologists


Dr. Viviana Ferreira

Dr. Viviana Ferreira, associate professor from the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, is serving as an associate editor for The Journal of Immunology as of July 1.

This invitation was extended by the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Eugene Oltz, "in recognition of your outstanding performance as a knowledgeable, fair, and prompt referee."

For over 100 years, The Journal of Immunology (published by The American Association of Immunologists) has served immunologists and the research community by publishing novel, peer-reviewed findings in all areas of experimental immunology: innate and adaptive immunity, inflammation, host defense, clinical immunology, autoimmunity, and more. The current impact factor for the journal is 5.4 and is "the most highly cited immunology journal worldwide."

Click Here to Learn More

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Huntley Lab publishes collaborative research on tick-borne diseases in high-impact journal

Brenden Tully, MSBS            Jason Huntley, Ph.D.

A recent publication in Nature Communications (Impact Factor 12.1) features collaborative research from Dr. Jason Huntley's laboratory in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology and researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yale University, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), NIH-NIAID, and Old Dominion University.

Ticks are known to transmit a wide variety of life-threatening infectious diseases to humans, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and tularemia. However, little is known about how tick salivary factors promote infections or modulate host inflammatory responses. This recent publication, entitled "Tick extracellular vesicles enable arthropod feeding and promote distinct outcomes of bacterial infection," found that ticks secrete extracellular vesicles into hosts during blood feeding events, different tick species secrete vesicles with distinct protein components, and these tick proteins act locally to modulate skin immune responses. The study went on to show that tick extracellular vesicles have complex interactions with bacterial infections – promoting infection by Anaplasma phagocytophilum (a rickettsial agent), while decreasing the morbidity and mortality of Francisella tularensis (agent of tularemia).

Tick and F. tularensis studies were performed at UToledo by Brenden Tully, a MSBS student who graduated from Dr. Huntley's lab in December 2020. These studies are part of long-term efforts by the Huntley lab to understand how different bacterial pathogens infect and persist in ticks.

Click Here to Read the Article

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  MMI Faculty Member participates in UToledo  Virtual COVID-19 TownHall - 07/20/21
In the latest of our virtual town hall series, experts will share recent findings about how COVID-19 and its vaccines affect cardiovascular health. Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and Dr. Matthew Hepburn will explore the impact and outlook for the virus in northwest Ohio and nationally. Panelists will field questions from community members in attendance.

UToledo Experts Address COVID-19:  Part 6
Tuesday, July 20, 2021: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Panelists Include:
Wade Kapszukiewicz - Mayor, City of Toledo
Dr. Matthew Hepburn - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Biological Technologies Offices
Christopher J. Cooper, M.D. - Dean, The University of Toledo College of Medicine & Life Sciences
Joan Duggan, M.D. - Professor, Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease
Jason F. Huntley, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Click Here to View

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MMI faculty member participates in prestigious national immunology meetings

Top right: Dr. Alfred Kim, University of Colorado, Chair session; Top left: Dr. Harris, Newcastle University, who talked about complement and therapeutics; Bottom left: Dr. Kulkarni, Washington University School of Medicine, who talked about local complement synthesis; Bottom right: Dr. Viviana Ferreira. Not shown: Dr. Kemper, NIH, who talked about the intracellular complement system

Dr. Viviana Ferreira, associate professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, recently participated in two prestigious national immunology meetings:
• Dr. Ferreira organized the 7th International Complement Society (ICS) Guest Symposium at the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) meeting, held virtually in May. The session was titled: "Complement: Alive and Kicking" and distinguished speakers covered topics on complement and (a) neural development and degeneration, (b) cancer, (c) kidney disease, and (d) COVID-19 associated thrombosis and coagulopathy. Dr. Ferreira has organized the last three ICS Guest Symposia at AAI.

• Dr. Ferreira gave an invited lecture titled "Overview of Complement Pathways and Associations with Human Disease" at the 1st ICS Guest Symposium at the Federation of Clinical Immunologists Society (FOCIS) annual meeting, held virtually in June. The session was titled: "Complement and Human Disease: New Ticks for an Old Dog." She was one of four expert speakers on the complement system and clinical immunology.

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MMI Welcome Back Celebration

The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology (MMI) recently welcomed back more than fifty faculty, staff, and students.   With all the excitement of seeing each other in person, MMI faculty members took the opportunity to share their challenges and successes with their research over the past year. These discussions renewed the collaborative atmosphere between the faculty, staff, and students, which will allow the department to move forward towards new research endeavors and academic achievements. The Chair, Dr. Kevin Pan, thanked everyone for their efforts and for doing a great job over the past year.

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MMI Faculty Member Collaborates on C. diff research

 Dr. Bob Blumenthal, Track Director for Bioinformatics and Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, recently published an article in Nature Communications (Impact Factor 12.1) with collaborators at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

The paper is on the CamA protein of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). C. diff is a major bacterial pathogen, and this CamA enzyme methylates its DNA and helps control which genes are turned off or on. The paper explored the mechanism of action of CamA. Efforts are underway to see if CamA might be a useful drug target.

The paper was also selected as one of the featured articles.
Click Here to Read the Article

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Congratulations to the MMI Faculty Member who received a 2021 Award for Creative and Scholarly Activity,

Dr. Saurabh Chattopadhyay

Dr. Chattopadhyay was recognized for numerous high-quality, highly cited journal articles in publications such as Immunity; Cell, Host & Microbe; and Frontiers in Immunology, among others.

Click Here for More Information

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 Congratulations to the MMI Faculty Member who received a 2021 University Research Funding Opportunities Award,

Dr. Jason F. Huntley, Associate Professor

Research Innovation Program, $80,000:  for understanding how tick microbiomes impact infections by bacterial pathogens.

The University of Toledo’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs recently announced its University Research Funding Opportunities awards for Spring 2021.  

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Congratulations to the MMI Faculty Member who received a 2021 Award for Grantsmanship,

Dr. R. Mark Wooten
Funding Sources: NIH and Burroughs Welcome Fund

The University of Toledo recognized faculty members who secured external support for their research programs over the 2018-20 period with the 2021 Awards for Grantsmanship.

"In many disciplines, particularly those based on laboratory research, financial demands for personnel support such as students, equipment, supplies and travel far exceed what the University can provide, so external grant support is necessary to support a faculty member's research," said Dr. Frank Calzonetti, vice president for research.  "Many faculty members across campus are successful in securing external awards for their research and I am pleased to be able to recognize from this group those who have secured the most external funding for their research programs over the past three years."

Click Here for More Information

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  MMI Faculty Member participates in UToledo  Virtual COVID-19 TownHall - 05/25/21
In the latest of our virtual town hall series, The University of Toledo will host public health officials from across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan for a virtual town hall discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday, May 25.  In addition to answering questions from the audience, the expert panel will provide the latest information about COVID-19, talk about the local pandemic response and discuss vaccination for children.

UToledo Experts Address COVID-19:  Part 5
Tuesday, May 25, 2021: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Panelists Include:
Daniel Cadigan, M.D. - Medical Director, Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
Katie Crowell, Director of Nursing at the Ottawa County Health Department
 Dr. Jacob Maciejewski, Pediatrician from ProMedica Physicians;
 Ben Robison, Health Commissioner at the Wood County Health Department
Dr. Carl Schmidt, Medical Director at the Monroe County Health Department
Joan Duggan, M.D. - Professor, Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease
Jason F. Huntley, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Russell Smith, Pharm.D. - Chief Pharmacy Officer, The University of Toledo Medical Center

Click Here to View

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Congratulations to the 2021 Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Award Winner for Teaching Excellence in Basic Sciences,

Viviana Ferreira, D.V.M., Ph.D.

The Robert T. Tidrick Golden Apple Awards for teaching excellence are named in honor of Dr. Tidrick, a surgeon and outstanding educator on the faculty of the former Medical College of Ohio from 1969 until his death in June 1983, at the age of 73. Faculty, both basic scientists and clinicians, are selected for the honor each year by members of the graduating class of medical students.

Click Here to Learn More

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 Congratulations to Sara Moore on her Toledo Blade article, "Protein key to understanding disease, immune response" published on May 3, 2021

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MMI Faculty Member participates in UToledo Third Virtual TownHall - 02/04/21
Northwest Ohio continues to face serious challenges due to COVID-19. In the latest of our virtual town hall series, UToledo's panel of experts will field unanswered questions from previous events and open the floor for an extended, live question-and-answer session with guests in attendance from our community.

UToledo Experts Address COVID-19:  Part 3
Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021: 5 - 6 p.m.

Panelists Include:
Imran Ali, M.D. - Professor and Clair Martig Endowed Chair of Neurology
Joan Duggan, M.D. - Professor, Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease
Jennifer Hanrahan, D.O. - Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Infectious Disease
Jason F. Huntley, Ph.D. - Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Russell Smith, Pharm.D. - Chief Pharmacy Officer, The University of Toledo Medical Center

Click Here to View

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MMI University of Toledo 2020-2021 Graduate Research Awardee

Congratulations to Sara Moore!

Sara Moore, MD/PhD candidate in the laboratory of Dr. Viviana Ferreira, Associate Professor, in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, was recently awarded the University of Toledo 2020-2021 Graduate Research Award.  This UToledo Graduate Student Association (GSA) Graduate Research Award will provide $1,987.80 towards Sara’s research project titled, “The Role of Properdin, a Positive Regulator of the Complement System in Rheumatoid Arthritis".

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Congratulations to Briana Zellner, a 2019 graduate of Dr. Huntley's lab, for a published research article titled
"A Francisella tularensis L,D‐carboxypeptidase plays important roles in cell morphology, envelope integrity, and virulence" published in Molecular Biology.

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Maxim Marino, M.S.
Email: maxim.marino@rockets.utoledo.edu

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Congratulations to the 2020 MMI Graduate Student Research Scholar Awardees (MMIRSA)

          Anna Glanz           Gayatri Subramanian

The Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology has announced this year's awardees for the MMI Graduate Student Research Scholar Award (MMIRSA). 

Both awardees are 2020 graduates from the lab of Dr. Saurabh Chattopadhyay:

Anna Glanz
Gayatri Subramanian

Congratulations to both the awardees and their PI on this achievement!

The MMIRSA award serves to encourage and increase MMI graduate student publications and pre-doctoral fellowship submissions.
More information on the award can be found at this link.

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