Susan C. Baker, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine. With over three decades of research experience, her work focuses on coronavirus replication mechanisms and host immune response modulation. PhD from Vanderbilt University Leading expert in coronavirus pathogenesis Key contributor to Kawasaki Disease etiology research Her coronavirus research examines: RNA polymerase polyprotein processing Interferon antagonism by viral proteins Live attenuated vaccine development Endoribonuclease function in immune evasion Protease stability and pathogenesis Double membrane vesicle formation Recent publication trends show: 2025 studies on necroptosis inhibition 2024 work on coronavirus evolution 2023 analysis of SARS-CoV-2 mutations 2020-2018 investigations of interferon antagonism 2019 structural-functional studies of replication proteins 2017 research on viral protein interactions The laboratory investigates both fundamental coronavirus biology and translational applications for vaccine development, maintaining active collaborations with infectious disease experts like Dr. Anne Rowley in Kawasaki Disease research.
Melanie Firestone is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Minnesota, an MPH in Epidemiology from Columbia University, and a BS in Health & Exercise Science from Wake Forest University. Prior to joining the School of Public Health, she served as a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Officer assigned to the Minnesota Department of Health. Dr. Firestone's research focuses at the intersection of infectious diseases and environmental health, with particular emphasis on improving public health surveillance systems to reduce enteric infections. Her work extensively examines the role of restaurants in foodborne illness transmission and prevention, as well as effective communication of food safety messages to the public. Her expertise spans public health surveillance, infectious disease epidemiology, foodborne disease investigation, food safety practices, and outbreak response. Analysis of her publication record reveals consistent research contributions in food safety, infectious disease epidemiology, and public health surveillance. Her work frequently involves collaborative investigations of foodborne outbreaks, SARS-CoV-2 transmission patterns, and zoonotic disease events. Recent publications demonstrate her focus on methodological improvements in outbreak detection and understanding transmission dynamics across various settings including restaurants, fitness centers, and households. Dr. Firestone is actively engaged with professional organizations including the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the International Association for Food Protection, and the Minnesota Environmental Health Association, demonstrating her commitment to advancing public health practice through professional collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Dr. Jonathan Swann is a Professor of Biomolecular Medicine at the University of Southampton's Faculty of Medicine, School of Human Development and Health. He leads a metabolomics-focused research program investigating gene-environment interactions in health and disease. His work spans two main themes: (1) Gut microbiota's role in host health/disease, including gut-brain axis communication, microbiome-cancer interactions, and microbial metabolism; (2) Early-life environmental influences on development, particularly in global health contexts. He supervises multiple PhD students and collaborates with institutions like Imperial College London and Karolinska Institute. Research affiliations: Institute for Life Sciences, Nutrition, Endocrinology and Metabolism, and 8 other interdisciplinary groups Funding: BBSRC, MRC, Wellcome Trust, NIH, Gates Foundation Recent studies explore microbiota's impact on neurological disorders, malnutrition consequences in children, and metabolic biomarkers in pancreatic cancer. His 2024 Nature Communications paper revealed circadian bile acid rhythms in humans, while 2025 cancer biomarker work advances early detection methods. External roles include editorial board positions for Microbiome and Frontiers in Endocrinology , plus expert advisory roles with the British Society of Gastroenterology.
Chun-Jun (CJ) Guo is an Associate Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine's Jill Roberts Institute for Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Medicine. His research focuses on developing genetic tools for human microbiota and investigating molecular mechanisms of host-microbe interactions related to IBD and metabolic diseases. Education: B.Sc. in Pharmacy, Fudan University (2009) Ph.D. in Pharmacy, University of Southern California (2015) Research Interests: Dr. Guo's lab integrates bioinformatics, microbial genetics, metabolomics, and chemical biology to study how microbiota-derived molecules influence host immunity and disease. Key areas include CRISPR-based microbiota engineering, bile acid metabolism, and therapeutic reprogramming of host-microbe interactions. Publications: Recent work highlights microbiota-driven bile acid modifications in cancer, probiotic cross-feeding strategies for metabolic diseases, and serotonin's role in neonatal immune tolerance. His tools for genetic manipulation of nonmodel gut microbes enable mechanistic studies in vivo. Scientific Awards: 2023 Scialog Award 2022 Kenneth Rainin Foundation Innovator Award 2020 Noster & Science Microbiome Runner-Up Prize 2020 AGA-Allergan Pilot Award in IBD 2019 NIH New Innovator Award Labs & Teams: The Guo Group develops CRISPR-Cas9 systems for Clostridiales and other gut bacteria, investigates microbiota metabolites in preclinical mouse models, and collaborates on translational studies linking microbial genetics to immune/metabolic diseases.
Dario C. Altieri, M.D. serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Wistar Institute, Director of the Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center (an NCI-designated facility), and Robert and Penny Fox Distinguished Professor leading the Genome Regulation and Cell Signaling Program. His leadership spans both administrative responsibilities and active cancer research. Born in Milan, Italy, Altieri was educated at the University of Milan School of Medicine, completed training in internal medicine, and holds a postgraduate degree in clinical and experimental hematology. His academic career includes positions at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (1987), Yale University School of Medicine (becoming professor with tenure in 1999), and founding chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (2002). He joined The Wistar Institute in 2010 as Cancer Center Director and Chief Scientific Officer, becoming President and CEO in 2015. Altieri's research focuses on cellular adaptation mechanisms or 'plasticity' exploited by cancer for disease progression. His laboratory investigates mitochondrial functions in cancer, including bioenergetics, reactive oxidative species buffering, inter-organelle communication with the endoplasmic reticulum, and retrograde gene expression. His work demonstrates that mitochondrial reprogramming is a universal cancer trait imparting unique plasticity to tumor responses across all disease stages. The lab has pioneered mitochondria-targeted cancer therapeutics, developing compounds like Gamitrinib that entered clinical trials (NCT04827810). Analysis of Altieri's recent publications (2020-2024) reveals a strategic evolution from foundational work on mitochondrial dynamics in tumor cell motility toward understanding Parkin protein's role in tumor immunity and metastasis suppression. His research spans molecular mechanisms to therapeutic applications, increasingly incorporating tumor microenvironment and immune system interactions, with direct translational impact. Altieri's laboratory team includes Research Assistant Professors Jagadish Ghosh, Ph.D. and Michela Perego, Ph.D., and Postdoctoral Fellow Minjeong Yeon, Ph.D. His research has received significant NIH funding including R35 CA220446 and R01 CA286080 grants. The laboratory employs multidisciplinary approaches spanning biochemical, cellular, and molecular techniques, xenograft and genetic animal models, and analysis of clinically-annotated patient samples. The Altieri Laboratory operates within The Wistar Institute's NCI-designated cancer center. His team discovered and characterized the survivin gene (with over 10,500 PubMed citations), establishing it as a fundamental cancer gene and therapeutic target. Recent work on Parkin's dual role in suppressing tumor traits while activating innate immunity opens new avenues for cancer immunotherapy development.
Associate Professor Mohammad Katouli is an academic at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), Queensland, Australia, holding a position in the School of Science, Technology and Engineering and the Department of Microbial Ecology. He earned his PhD from the UK and a BSc from Tehran, Iran. His research spans medical microbiology, infectious disease pathogenesis, and microbial ecology, with a focus on E. coli, antibiotic resistance, and environmental health. He has supervised over 84 students (45 Honours, 39 PhD/Master's) and authored 169 peer-reviewed articles and 87 conference proceedings. Education: PhD in Medical Microbiology, United Kingdom BSc in Microbiology, Tehran, Iran Research Interests: Molecular pathogenesis of bacterial infections (e.g., E. coli sepsis, urinary tract infections) Probiotics' role in gut health and pathogen inhibition Microbial source tracking in surface waters Antibiotic resistance in clinical and environmental settings Host-microbe interactions in inflammatory diseases Notable Contributions: Developed a commercialized biochemical fingerprinting method for microbial epidemiology Established the Microbiology and Biotechnology program at UniSC Recipient of the 1st Prize for Best Original Article in Clinical Nutrition (2005) Advising and Grants: Supervised 45 Honours and 39 postgraduate students. Active in research grants related to microbial source tracking, probiotic efficacy, and hospital wastewater analysis. Labs and Collaborations: Member of the Centre for Bioinnovation at UniSC. Collaborates with national and international institutions on projects like microbial quality of surface waters and gut microbiota dynamics.
Prof. Cormac Gahan is a Professor at the School of Microbiology, University College Cork (UCC), and a Principal Investigator at the APC Microbiome Institute. He holds editorial roles in journals like Journal of Pathogens and Microbiome . His research focuses on host-microbe interactions, microbial pathogenesis, and bacterial vaccine development. Prof. Gahan has published 167 peer-reviewed articles, with an h-index of 75 and over 19,000 citations. Education: PhD in Immunology and Microbiology from UCC (1996). Affiliations: APC Microbiome Institute, School of Pharmacy (UCC). Research Interests: Bile acid metabolism, bacterial pathogenesis (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes), live bacterial vaccine vectors, gut microbiota dynamics. His work bridges microbiology, immunology, and clinical therapeutics. Grants & Funding: Over €13.5M from SFI, EU, Health Research Board, and industry partnerships. Current grants include EU Horizon 2020 projects and APC Microbiome initiatives. Labs & Collaborations: Leads the Bile Research Group and collaborates with institutions like Cork Cancer Research Centre and Teagasc. Directs the UREKA summer school program for microbiology training.
Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyNorway
Denis Kaynov is a Professor at the Institute of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, NTNU, Norway. His research focuses on developing antiviral drug combinations targeting broad viral spectra and drug-resistant variants. He holds a PhD from the University of Helsinki (2005), followed by postdoctoral work at IGBMC (2005-2007) and CRP-Santé Luxembourg (2007-2009). His expertise spans virology, pharmacology, and immunology. Key research interests include antiviral drug synergy, host-virus interactions in enteric infections, and translational therapeutics. Recent work emphasizes organoid models for studying viral diseases and testing antiviral cocktails. His lab explores JAK inhibitors’ role in viral propagation and investigates macrophage-augmented intestinal organoids for therapeutic screening. Publications highlight drug combinations against enteroviruses, SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses, and repurposing FDA-approved drugs. He collaborates widely, mentoring students like Hilde Lysvand and Irene Trøen Frøysa. His work bridges basic research and clinical applications, addressing global viral threats with an emphasis on broad-spectrum solutions.
Eileen M. Barry serves as Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with secondary appointments in Medical and Research Technology and Microbiology and Immunology. She directs education for the Center of Vaccine Development & Global Health, leading research on vaccines against enteric pathogens and biodefense threats. Her academic background includes: B.A. in Biology from University of Delaware (1985) Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia (1991) Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Vaccine Development (1992-1994) Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Vaccine Development (1994-1996) Dr. Barry's research focuses on oral live attenuated vaccines targeting Shigella , enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), and Francisella tularensis . Her work spans pathogen engineering, host-pathogen interactions, and clinical translation, with emphasis on pediatric and military applications. Key methodologies include human enteroid models, BSL3/ABSL3 pathogenesis studies, and immunogenicity assessment. Recent publications reveal a strategic shift toward multivalent platforms and advanced organoid systems for predicting human immune responses. Her scientific recognition includes: University System of Maryland PROMISE Alliance Outstanding Faculty Mentor (2015) Faculty Teacher of the Year Award (2011) Teaching Commendation in Host Defenses (2009/2012) As a dedicated mentor, Dr. Barry has served on Graduate Student Admissions Committees since 2007 and received special recognition for advancing underrepresented STEM students. Her substantial NIH funding portfolio includes: P01AI125181: Pathogenesis of E. Coli and Shigella in Human Enteroid Models (2016-2021) R01AI125841: Serological Assays for Shigella Vaccine Efficacy (2016-2021) R01AI123129: Tularemia Vaccine Protection Correlates (2016-2021) Her laboratory operates BSL2/3 and ABSL2/3 facilities, integrating genetic engineering, organoid models, and genomics to dissect enteric pathogenesis and accelerate vaccine development for global health impact.
Dr. Robert F. Breiman is Professor of Global Health and Environmental Health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine. His research focuses on addressing health inequities through child mortality prevention, urban health in impoverished settings, and combating respiratory and enteric diseases, including emerging pathogens. He founded the Infectious Diseases and Oncology Research Institute (IDORI) at the University of the Witwatersrand (2022–2025) and now serves as its Senior Scientific Advisor. Education: MD (University of Arizona), Infectious Diseases (UCLA), Epidemic Intelligence Service (CDC) Research Interests: Dr. Breiman’s work spans maternal and child health , infectious disease dynamics , typhoid fever burden studies , urban health disparities , and vaccine implementation . His projects include CDC- and NIH-funded initiatives on SARS-CoV-2, pneumococcal genetics, and typhoid surveillance across Africa, South Asia, and beyond. Scientific Awards: Elected to the National Academy of Medicine (2017) Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (FIDSA) Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (FASTMH) Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honors Grants & Affiliations: He has led major global initiatives, including the Gates Foundation-funded Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) , CREID-ECA (NIH), and COVIED (CDC). His collaborations span institutions like Johns Hopkins University, Washington State University, and the International Vaccine Institute, with mentorship roles in Uganda, Kenya, and Bangladesh.
Michael J. Caplan is the C.N.H. Long Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology and Professor of Cell Biology at Yale School of Medicine, where he also serves as Chair of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology. He has been a faculty member at Yale since 1988, following the completion of his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University in 1987. His academic journey began with a bachelor's degree in Biology from Harvard University in 1980. Dr. Caplan's research program focuses on understanding how membrane proteins are sorted in polarized epithelial cells, with particular emphasis on the Na,K-ATPase (sodium pump) in renal epithelial cells. His laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding the mechanisms responsible for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD), particularly through studies of the polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 proteins. His work has revealed that polycystin-1 undergoes proteolytic cleavage to release its C-terminal tail, which enters the nucleus and modulates signaling pathways including Wnt signaling. His research also explores connections between renal cilia and olfactory signaling pathways in kidney function. Analysis of Dr. Caplan's recent publications reveals a strong focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying polycystic kidney disease, with particular attention to protein trafficking, membrane contact sites, transcriptional regulation in cystic cells, and novel therapeutic approaches. His work spans multiple disciplines including cell biology, molecular physiology, and translational medicine, with increasing integration of advanced imaging techniques and nanotechnology approaches. Dr. Caplan has received numerous prestigious awards including: Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2023) Carl W. Gottschalk Distinguished Lectureship from the American Physiological Society (2012) Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Nephrology (1998) National Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation Fellowships from the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation and David and Lucille Packard Foundation As an educator and mentor, Dr. Caplan has received Yale's Postdoctoral Mentoring Prize (2010) and Bohmfalk Award for Excellence in Basic Science Teaching (2000). He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Physiology and on the Board of Directors of the American Physiological Society. His laboratory continues to be at the forefront of research on kidney cell biology and polycystic kidney disease pathogenesis, with ongoing investigations into novel therapeutic targets and mechanisms of disease progression.
Marcelo B. Sztein, MD is a tenured Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). Since 1989 he has been a key leader within the Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) , serving as Chief of the Cellular Immunology and Flow Cytometry Section, founder of the CVD Immunology Group, and—since 2010— Associate Director for Immunologic Research . He holds secondary appointments in the Departments of Medicine and Microbiology & Immunology and directs the CVD Flow & Mass Cytometry Core that supports campus-wide cutting-edge single-cell analysis. Education & Training High School #4, Nicolás Avellaneda, Argentina — B.S., Biology, 1970 University of Buenos Aires School of Medicine — M.D., 1976 National Research Council, Argentina — Fellow, Immunology, 1976–1979 National Institutes of Health — Visiting Fellow, 1979–1982 George Washington University Medical Center — Research Fellow, Cancer Research Laboratories, 1982–1983 Research Focus Dr. Sztein is an internationally recognized authority on the immunology of infectious diseases , with emphasis on mucosal and systemic immunity elicited by vaccines. His work deciphers human host responses to Salmonella Typhi/Paratyphi, Shigella , ETEC, Plasmodium falciparum , dengue virus, Ebola virus, H. pylori , and influenza. Using controlled human infection models, non-human primates, and novel organotypic intestinal models, his laboratory identifies correlates of protection, dissects multifunctional T-cell subsets (CD4⁺, CD8⁺, MAIT, regulatory T cells), and explores how the gut microbiome modulates vaccine-induced immunity. Current projects under the NIH-funded Cooperative Center for Human Immunology (CCHI) integrate multi-omics , single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF) , and high-dimensional flow cytometry to accelerate rational vaccine design. Recent Publication Trends Between 2014 and 2016 Dr. Sztein’s group published >25 high-impact papers that collectively advance three major themes: (1) elucidating multifunctional T- and B-cell signatures associated with protection following typhoid and Shigella vaccination; (2) applying controlled human infection models to rigorously benchmark new vaccines; and (3) pioneering 3-D organotypic intestinal cultures and mass cytometry panels to study mucosal responses at single-cell resolution. These studies are shaping the next generation of enteric vaccines for global health. Grants & Funding Leadership Principal Investigator, NIH U19-AI082655 “Mucosal and Systemic Immunity, Vaccines and Microbiota Interplay in Humans” (2014–2019) Principal Investigator, NIH R01-AI036525 “Immune Mechanisms of Protection in S. Typhi Vaccines” (2013–2018) PI Research Project 1, NIH U19-AI109776 “Immunoprophylactic Strategies to Control Emerging Enteric Infections” (2014–2019) PI of Immunology Core, NIH U19-AI110820 “Host, Pathogen, and the Microbiome” (2014–2019) Senior Immunologist, VTEU Contract HHSN2722013000221 (2013–2023) Laboratory PI, HHSN27200012 & HHSN27200010 cytokine/immune-phenotyping service contracts Co-Director of Immunology, T32-AI07524 Training Grant (2013–2018) Laboratory & Core Facilities Dr. Sztein directs the CVD Flow and Mass Cytometry Core , housing state-of-the-art BD LSR-II, Beckman-Coulter Astrios EQ cell sorter, Fluidigm CyTOF 1, and CyTOF Helios instruments. The core supports up to 19-parameter cell sorting and 35-plus-parameter mass cytometry, enabling investigators across UMSOM and collaborating institutions to perform advanced single-cell multi-omics studies under BSL-2/3 containment.
University of California, Los AngelesUnited States
Elizabeth Videlock, M.D., Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine , University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) . Her laboratory is housed within the UCLA Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and she leads the Videlock Laboratory . She is a physician-scientist with dual training in internal medicine and gastroenterology, and a Ph.D. in translational research focused on the gut-brain axis. Education and Training: B.S., Chemistry – Yale University M.D. – David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Internal Medicine Residency – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Gastroenterology Fellowship – UCLA STAR Program Ph.D. – UCLA, under mentorship of Dr. Charalabos Pothoulakis and Dr. Lin Chang Research Focus: Dr. Videlock’s research centers on the gut-brain axis , with a particular emphasis on Parkinson’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . Her lab uses clinical samples, animal models, and cell-based systems to investigate how gastrointestinal dysfunction contributes to neurological disease. Key areas include mitochondrial dysfunction in the gut epithelium, alpha-synuclein pathology, and the role of genes like PINK1 and PRKN in intestinal health. Scientific Awards and Honors: NIH-NIDDK K08 Grant Award (2024) UCLA CTSI KL2 Translational Science Award (2023) Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Neurodegeneration Challenge Grant American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) FORWARD Scholar Funding and Grants: NIH-NIDDK K08: “Intestinal Mitochondrial Dysfunction and the Gut-Brain-Immune Axis in Models of Parkinson’s Disease” UCLA CTSI KL2: “Parkinson's Disease May Begin in the Gastrointestinal Tract” Chan Zuckerberg Initiative: “The Role of Pink1/Parkin in the Intestinal Epithelium” CURE Pilot and Feasibility Grant UCLA Claude Pepper Rapid Pilot Award Laboratory and Affiliations: Dr. Videlock leads the Videlock Laboratory within the UCLA Center for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases . She is also affiliated with the UCLA G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience and the UCLA Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases .
Dr. Andrea A. Berry is an Associate Professor in Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in Medicine. She specializes in pediatric infectious diseases and malaria immunology, leading the Malaria Immunology Unit within the Malaria Research Program at the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD). Her work focuses on the humoral immune response to malaria and clinical vaccine trials, including studies on SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and rotavirus vaccines. Education: Columbia College (B.A., Biochemistry, 1998), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (M.D., 2003), University of Maryland (M.S., Epidemiology and Clinical Research, 2023). Completed pediatrics residency at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (2003–2006) and a pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (2006–2009). Research interests include malaria vaccine development, antibody response dynamics to vaccines, and controlled human malaria infection studies. Her group explores pre-erythrocytic immune responses and vaccine candidate evaluation. Recent studies addressed SARS-CoV-2 antibody persistence, vaccine acceptance factors, and malaria immunoproteomics. Key awards include the 2016 Passano Foundation Clinician-Investigator Award. She is active in professional societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Disease Society of America. Dr. Berry contributes to clinical trials, public health advisory committees (Baltimore schools), and media outreach on infectious diseases and vaccines.
Professor Pip Beard is Head of the School of Life Sciences and Professor of Viral Pathology at Keele University. Her research focuses on poxviruses affecting livestock, including lumpy skin disease virus, sheeppox, and goatpox virus. With a veterinary background from the University of Sydney and PhD from the University of Edinburgh, she investigates viral pathogenesis and transmission dynamics. Her research program examines molecular virus-host interactions, insect-borne transmission, and pathological responses to poxvirus infections. Beard has developed improved disease management strategies including resistant crop varieties and pheromone-based monitoring systems. Publications demonstrate consistent focus on viral pathogenesis, disease control strategies, and host immune responses to poxvirus infections. Recent articles emphasize disease surveillance, transmission risks, and therapeutic interventions. Recognition includes Wellcome Trust Fellowship (2004), Speciality Research Medal (2014), and Journal of Comparative Pathology Medal (2018). She leads the DEFEND research consortium and mentors veterinary students through summer research programs.
