Steve Julio

Steve Julio is a Professor of Biology at Westmont College, specializing in the mechanisms of infectious diseases with a focus on Bordetella pathogenesis. He earned his doctorate from UC Santa Barbara and has conducted research on bacterial pathogenesis, including work at a cancer vaccine-focused startup. His research explores how Bordetella bacteria colonize respiratory tracts and modulate host immunity, particularly investigating strain-specific host preferences. He returned to Westmont in 2006 and continues his interdisciplinary research combining genetics, biochemistry, and animal models.

Education: B.A. from Westmont College, Ph.D. in Biology from UC Santa Barbara. His work bridges fundamental microbiology with applied research on bacterial virulence factors and host-pathogen interactions.

Research Interests: Bordetella pathogenesis, mechanisms of host specificity, bacterial colonization strategies, respiratory tract infections, and bacterial immunomodulation. His studies aim to uncover how pathogens adapt to different host environments and evade immune responses.

Publications highlight his focus on Bordetella virulence factors (e.g., PlrSR regulatory systems, filamentous hemagglutinin), host adaptation, and comparative analyses of bacterial strains. Earlier work includes studies on Yersinia and Salmonella pathogenesis.

No scientific awards are explicitly listed. Advising and grant details are not provided in the text. His lab focuses on understanding bacterial pathogenesis with potential implications for vaccine development and infection control strategies.