Elizabeth Di Russo Case

Elizabeth Di Russo Case is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Wyoming, where she serves as Scientific Director of the UW Biocontainment Facility. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of Coxiella burnetii pathogenesis, a Gram-negative intracellular bacterium causing Q fever, and its interactions with macrophages.

• Education: Ph.D. in Biological Sciences (2010, University of California, Irvine); B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology (2002, Oklahoma State University).

Using a multidisciplinary approach that integrates primary murine macrophage models, bacterial genetics, transcriptomics, and animal studies, she investigates how C. burnetii evades host immune defenses and manipulates macrophages to establish infection. Key projects include analyzing cell wall integrity, developmental state contributions to virulence, and macrophage-specific virulence factor discovery.

The lab's work on C. burnetii highlights novel strategies pathogens employ to survive in hostile intracellular environments. Techniques such as random mutant screening and comparative infection models reveal insights into bacterial gene regulation and host responses, with potential implications for understanding broader macrophage biology and infectious disease mechanisms.

• Memberships: American Society for Rickettsiology, American Society for Microbiology.