Alberto Leonel Mendoza

Alberto Leonel Mendoza is a Professor at Michigan State University's College of Natural Science, holding appointments in the Biomedical Laboratory Diagnostics Program, the Department of Microbiology, Genetics, and Immunology, and the BioMolecular Science Gateway. Based in 322 N Kedzie Hall, he can be reached via phone (517-432-1234) or email (mendoza9@msu.edu).

Education:

• Ph.D. (institution and year not specified in source)

Research Interests: Dr. Mendoza investigates life-threatening fungal and fungal-like infections (e.g., Pythium insidiosum, Lagenidium spp., Rhinosporidium sp.) in immunocompromised patients, addressing the critical limitations of conventional antifungal drugs which are often ineffective and toxic. His decade-long work spans:

• Epidemiology and pathogenesis of emerging opportunistic pathogens
• Serologic diagnostic test development
• Immunotherapeutic vaccine creation and engineering
• Molecular techniques for fungal infection monitoring
• Taxonomic reclassification of Rhinosporidium seeberi

Scientific Awards:

• No awards, fellowships, or medals mentioned in source text

Advising and Grants: Dr. Mendoza oversees the infectious microbiology curriculum and supervises undergraduate research through MMG 499: Undergraduate Research, though no graduate students or grant funding details are listed. His research is driven by urgent clinical needs but lacks explicit grant references in the provided content.

Laboratory and Team: He leads an active research team focused on fungal pathogen immunology and diagnostics, with documented work on *P. insidiosum* and *Lagenidium* spp. over the past ten years. The team's efforts include vaccine engineering and molecular diagnostic innovation, but no formal lab name or team composition is specified.