Barbara Bensing

Barbara Bensing, PhD, is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Her research focuses on the role of sialoglycan binding in the pathogenesis of streptococcal endocarditis, particularly investigating how bacterial adhesins interact with host glycans under physiological conditions. She holds a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Minnesota (1996), an MS in Microbial Engineering (1992), and a BS in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan (1984).

Research Funding:

• NIH R01AI177473 (2023–2027): Co-Investigator, studying streptococcal endocarditis mechanisms under hemodynamic conditions.
• NIH R01GM137458 (2020–2024): Co-PI, developing sialoglycan-binding probes.
• AHA 17SDG33660424 (2017–2021): Principal Investigator, identifying glycoprotein ligands for streptococcal adhesins.

Research Interests: Her work spans microbial pathogenesis, glycobiology, and structural biology. Key areas include bacterial adhesion mechanisms, host-pathogen interactions, and glycan-mediated immune responses. Her studies often integrate microbiology, biochemistry, and structural biology to unravel molecular pathways in infectious diseases.

Publications: Over 60 peer-reviewed articles focus on streptococcal adhesins, sialoglycan recognition, and the role of glycans in endocarditis and HIV infection. Recent work highlights the interplay between bacterial lectins and host glycans in disease progression.

Grants & Collaborations: Collaborations include NIH-funded projects on glycan probes and AHA-funded studies on endocarditis ligands. Her research bridges basic science and translational medicine, with implications for novel therapeutic targets.