Anthony Maresso

Anthony Maresso, Ph.D., is a Professor at Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, Texas) specializing in bacterial pathogenesis with a focus on Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) mechanisms. His work bridges microbiology and clinical science, investigating bacterial nutrient acquisition strategies and novel antibacterial therapies. He holds a Ph.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin (2005) and completed advanced training at the University of Chicago (2008).

Research Interests: Dr. Maresso's lab explores iron acquisition pathways in pathogens, particularly the role of cell wall-associated proteins like sortases in virulence. Recent work includes identifying the first secreted hemophore in Gram-positive bacteria and developing sortase inhibitors as potential antibiotics. His research also extends to phage therapy, microbiome-based treatments, and wastewater-based epidemiology for pathogen surveillance.

Recent Work Trends: Articles emphasize translational applications, such as phage-antibiotic synergy, vaccine design against ExPEC, and environmental virology through wastewater monitoring. Key themes include understanding host-pathogen dynamics, developing novel antimicrobial strategies, and leveraging microbial interactions for therapeutic innovation.

Grants & Collaborations: Leads projects funded by NIH and industry partnerships, focusing on anthrax pathogenesis and antibiotic discovery. Collaborates with institutions like the Robert Koch Institute and Texas Children’s Hospital. Serves as Baylor College of Medicine’s Faculty Senator, contributing to academic governance.

Labs/Teams: Directs the Maresso Lab at BCM, a multidisciplinary team studying microbial pathogenesis and therapeutic development. Active in training graduate students and postdocs in molecular microbiology and infectious disease research.