Marvin Meyers is a Professor of Chemistry and holds the Kranz Professorship for Excellence in Research at the School of Science and Engineering, Saint Louis University. He leads the Meyers Lab, focused on discovering novel drug candidates for neglected and infectious diseases, particularly antifungals and antiparasitics. His research integrates synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and structure-based drug design to optimize drug candidates' potency, pharmacokinetics, and safety. Educated at Dordt College (B.A., 1996) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Ph.D., 2000), Meyers teaches courses including CHEM 3100, CHEM 3970, and CHEM 4470/5470. His lab emphasizes undergraduate and graduate training in organic synthesis and drug discovery, with students contributing to publications and potential patent applications. Key research interests include drug repurposing (e.g., antifungal phenothiazines), antimalarial agents, and treatments for Cryptosporidium and hepatitis B virus. Collaborations with biologists and computational chemists drive discoveries in molecular pathways and drug targets. The lab's recent work includes antifungal mefloquine analogs (2024), fluorinated triazolopyridazines (2023), and HBV ribonuclease H inhibitors (2021). Meyers' lab is located in Monsanto Hall, and further details are available via www.meyerschemlab.com .
Salmaan A. Keshavjee, MD, PhD, ScM, serves as Professor of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Center for Global Health Delivery. He concurrently holds appointments as Associate Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Faculty Dean of Adams House at Harvard University. His leadership targets critical global health delivery challenges in regions including the Middle East, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa through research, training, and policy engagement. Dr. Keshavjee's interdisciplinary foundation combines medical (MD), anthropological (PhD), and public health (ScM) training. This unique background informs his approach to health systems analysis and policy implementation across diverse cultural contexts. As a leading expert in drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment and the anthropology of health policy, his research examines the intersection of infectious disease control, social determinants of health, and structural barriers to care. Additional interests include mental health integration in TB programs, health economics, and digital health applications for disease screening. His fieldwork spans 16 years in Russia, Lesotho, and Pakistan, with extensive collaboration through Partners In Health. Analysis of his recent publications reveals consistent focus on tuberculosis prevention and treatment optimization, with growing attention to mental health comorbidities and artificial intelligence applications. His work addresses diverse populations including prisoners and household contacts across multiple continents, emphasizing regimen feasibility, health system barriers, and economic consequences of inadequate TB control. Key initiatives include the Zero TB Cities project aiming for tuberculosis elimination. Dr. Keshavjee has held influential policy roles including chair of the WHO/Stop TB Partnership’s Green Light Committee for MDR-TB Treatment (2007-2010) and co-authorship of U.S. Institute of Medicine policy papers, though no formal scientific awards are specified in source materials. Through the Center for Global Health Delivery, he mentors fellows in programs such as the Paul Farmer Global Surgery Research Fellowship and Global Mental Health Delivery Fellowship. These initiatives support implementation research in resource-limited settings through structured training and field placements. The Center operates six core programs—Infectious Disease, Mental Health, Noncommunicable Disease, Primary Care, Public Policy, and Surgery—developing evidence-based interventions through partnerships with institutions worldwide. Current priorities include scaling depression screening in TB care, optimizing preventive therapy regimens, and strengthening health systems in the Middle East and North Africa.
Iwijn De Vlaminck is an Associate Professor in the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University. His research focuses on developing precision medicine technologies, including liquid biopsies for diagnosing infectious and immune-related diseases, and spatial profiling of microbiomes and host-microbiome interactions. He leads the De Vlaminck Lab, which integrates engineering, biophysics, and computational biology to advance diagnostics and therapeutics. Key affiliations include the College of Engineering and interdisciplinary graduate fields such as Biomedical and Biological Sciences and Computational Biology. Education: B.S., Electronic Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (2000) M.S., Electronic Engineering, K.U. Leuven (2003) Ph.D., Science and Engineering, K.U. Leuven (2008) Research Interests: His lab develops high-throughput technologies for studying diseases like organ transplant rejection, urinary tract infections, and viral myocarditis. Innovations include spatial transcriptomics and methods to map microbial communities in tissues. Recent work addresses biomarkers for MIS-C in children and applications of cell-free DNA in spaceflight studies. Awards: NIH New Innovator Award (2017) Elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2025) Rainin Foundation Synergy Award (2019) Teaching Excellence Awards (2017, 2022) Grants & Collaborations: Recipient of a $3M NSF grant for bio-inspired architecture and a $9.5M NIH grant for chronic fatigue syndrome research. Collaborates with institutions like Weill Cornell Medicine and NASA on spaceflight biology and clinical diagnostics. Labs & Teams: Directs the De Vlaminck Lab, which includes interdisciplinary researchers working on spatial omics, liquid biopsies, and microbiome technologies. Engaged in industry partnerships, including co-founding Kanvas Biosciences.
Dr. Irene Nobeli is a Senior Lecturer and Education Lead (PG taught courses) at the School of Natural Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London. She specializes in computational biology and chemoinformatics, focusing on regulatory RNAs, transcriptomics in health/disease, brain disorders, and small molecule roles in biology. Her work bridges bioinformatics tools development and translational research. Administrative roles include directing the MSc Bioinformatics program and organizing the Sequence Analysis and Omics module. She collaborates with research centers like the Birkbeck Institute for Data Analytics (BIDA) and the Institute of Structural Molecular Biology (ISMB). Research interests span bioinformatics methodologies, Mycobacterium genomics, neurodevelopmental disorders, and computational drug design. Notable contributions include developing flexiMAP (alternative polyadenylation analysis) and baerhunter (bacterial non-coding RNA detection). Publications highlight her expertise in transcriptomics, bacterial pathogenesis, and neurobiological mechanisms. She actively engages in advancing computational methods for genomic data interpretation and translational medicine.
Sarah A. Stanley is an Associate Professor in the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine at the School of Public Health. Her research focuses on understanding immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), a pathogen responsible for significant global mortality. Her work addresses why natural immunity often fails to eradicate Mtb infections, exploring both host immune mechanisms and bacterial virulence strategies. The Stanley Lab employs a multidisciplinary approach, including bacterial/host genetics, microscopy, chemical biology, and proteomics to dissect host-pathogen interactions. Research interests include host-derived metabolites’ role in macrophage antimicrobial activity, Th17 immunity, bacterial nanocompartments as oxidative stress defenses, and human genetic polymorphisms influencing tuberculosis outcomes. Current projects investigate how interferon-γ-independent pathways and GM-CSF activation of HIF-1α modulate immunity, alongside bacterial strategies to evade host defenses. The lab also develops mucosal vaccination strategies using cyclic dinucleotide adjuvants to enhance T cell responses. Publications emphasize mechanisms of Mtb persistence, host immune evasion, and translational approaches to vaccine/therapeutic design. The lab’s long-term goals include identifying novel targets for therapies and vaccines to combat tuberculosis, leveraging insights from host-pathogen biology.
Dr. Marianna Cerasuolo is a Reader in Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computation at the University of Sussex's School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Her research focuses on mathematical and computational modeling for medical, biological, and environmental applications, including cancer dynamics, soil microbiome analysis, and sustainable agriculture. She has held positions at the University of Portsmouth and Rothamsted Research, and leads projects like the Horizon Europe-funded BIOservicES and the H2020 Diverfarming initiative. Her work integrates statistical, mathematical, and computational methods to address problems in oncology, ecology, and public health. Education: Advanced degrees in applied mathematics and mathematical biology (not explicitly listed). Research Interests: Cancer modeling, epidemiology, plant-environment interactions, bio-statistics, and computational biology. Her grants include the £6M BIOservicES (2023-2028) and a London Mathematical Society grant on microbial dynamics. She teaches courses like Machine Learning and Statistics for Health and Monte Carlo Simulations. Key contributions include developing the SusDiver app for agricultural sustainability and models predicting prostate cancer therapy efficacy.
Bianca Papotti is a fixed-term Researcher at the Department of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Parma. Her academic career spans interdisciplinary research in Pharmacology Cholesterol Metabolism Neurodegenerative Diseases Cardiovascular Pathology Immunometabolism . She teaches courses including Experimental Pharmacology and Food Toxicology. Her research focuses on the role of PCSK9 and cholesterol efflux in Alzheimer's Disease Atherosclerosis Rheumatoid Arthritis Lipoprotein Biology Inflammatory Disease Drug Development . Key trends in her publications (3 in 2025, 12 in 2024) reveal strong emphasis on PCSK9 inhibition mechanisms, cholesterol-immune crosstalk in rheumatoid arthritis, and fasting interventions in lipid-related pathologies. Her work has explored PCSK9's neuroinflammatory effects ABCA1/ABCG1 transporter dynamics Macrophage cholesterol loading Natural compound screening HDL dysfunction in diabetes Covid-19 lipid interactions .
Erik Weerts is a Clinician and Veterinary Pathologist (diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Pathologists) at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Division of Pathology. He holds a PhD in Veterinary Medicine awarded in June 2023 for his thesis 'Coronaviruses in poultry: an ongoing pandemic?' Dr. Weerts' research focuses primarily on veterinary pathology with special emphasis on avian coronaviruses, particularly infectious bronchitis virus in poultry. His work spans comparative pathology, dual infection models, and molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. He has published extensively on coronavirus-related topics, examining viral transmission, tissue tropism, host-pathogen interactions, and vaccine development. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong concentration on poultry diseases, particularly viral respiratory infections in chickens and turkeys. His research often examines the interplay between viral and bacterial pathogens, with significant work on infectious bronchitis virus pathogenesis and immune responses. Weerts frequently collaborates with researchers across multiple institutions, demonstrating a network spanning veterinary virology, immunology, and pathology. Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Pathologists (February 2014) PhD in Veterinary Medicine (June 2023) Dr. Weerts performs diagnostic research including necropsies on domestic, exotic and wild animals, and biopsy examination. He has significant teaching responsibilities within the veterinary medicine program and participates in research collaborations both within and outside the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, including heat stress in pigs and poultry studies with the Poultry Science Division and Population Health Sciences Department.
Dr. Siavash Vahidi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph. His research focuses on understanding the structure, function, and dynamics of large biomolecular machines, particularly those involved in protein degradation in pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis . He employs advanced techniques such as mass spectrometry (H/D exchange, native MS) and high-field NMR spectroscopy to study these systems. His lab is actively recruiting students and postdocs, emphasizing a commitment to diversity and training in cutting-edge methodologies. Education: BSc in Chemistry, National University of Iran, Tehran PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario CIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Toronto & The Hospital for Sick Children Research: Key interests include the M. tuberculosis proteasome system, ClpP proteases in human mitochondria, and the role of allostery in substrate selection. The lab’s integrative approach combines structural biology with biochemical and computational methods, aiming to identify novel drug targets for tuberculosis and other diseases. Awards: Paul de Mayo Award for Best PhD Thesis Lab & Training: The Vahidi Lab emphasizes interdisciplinary training, offering expertise in mass spectrometry, NMR, and computational tools (e.g., Python, Linux). Supported by grants and collaborations, the lab fosters an inclusive environment with a strong focus on mentorship. Lab Resources: Website: Vahidi Lab Twitter: @VahidiLab
Shirley Graham is a Research Fellow at the University of St Andrews School of Biology, focusing on CRISPR-Cas bacterial immune systems. Her work examines molecular mechanisms of type III CRISPR effectors, antiviral signaling pathways, and nuclease regulation. Key research areas include: Cyclic nucleotide signaling in antiviral defense Structural enzymology of CRISPR-associated nucleases CRISPR system regulation and inactivation mechanisms Bacterial-phage coevolution Recent publications characterize novel CRISPR ancillary effectors, antiviral signaling via ATP-SAM conjugation, and structural foundations of type III CRISPR complexes. Work increasingly explores therapeutic applications for antibacterial strategies and phage resistance engineering. Methodological strengths include structural biology (cryo-EM), bioinformatic discovery of defense systems, and biochemical analysis of enzyme kinetics. Research contributes to the National Center for Smart Growth and integrates computational predictions with experimental validation of immune mechanisms.
Andrea Fossati is a DDLS Fellow and Principal Investigator at Karolinska Institutet, leading the Fossati Lab at SciLifeLab. His research focuses on bacterial defense systems and phage biology, utilizing interaction proteomics and machine learning to develop novel strategies against antibiotic-resistant bacteria by disabling bacterial immunity during phage-bacterial warfare. Dr. Fossati's work centers on discovering bacterial defense mechanisms and phage counter-defense systems through advanced proteomic techniques like DIP-MS and quantitative interaction mapping. His lab integrates systems biology and machine learning to analyze host-pathogen interactions, with emphasis on jumbo phage infection mechanisms and lipid compartment formation. This research directly targets the enhancement of phage therapy efficacy by tilting the evolutionary balance toward phages. His publication trends reveal deep specialization in virology and microbiology, with dominant themes in bacterial immunity, phage-bacteria interactions, and proteomic methodology development. Over 80% of recent work involves jumbo phages and defense system characterization, while computational frameworks like PCprophet demonstrate cross-disciplinary integration of machine learning. Scientific awards: DDLS Fellow Dr. Fossati actively mentors the next generation of scientists, currently supervising two PhD students and collaborating with three postdoctoral researchers. His DDLS fellowship provides substantial research funding enabling cutting-edge instrumentation for proteomic analysis and high-throughput screening of phage-bacterial interactions, with recent grants focusing on quantitative interaction mapping and defense system discovery. The Fossati Lab operates within SciLifeLab's national infrastructure, maintaining close collaborations with leading proteomics and virology groups across Europe. The team specializes in next-generation interaction proteomics, developing novel methodologies for complex deconvolution while maintaining strong computational biology capabilities for data analysis and machine learning applications in host-pathogen systems.
Amy Gillgrass is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Dalhousie University, Faculty of Medicine. Her research focuses on virology, immunology, and infectious diseases, particularly HIV cure strategies, HIV/TB co-infection pathogenesis, and mucosal immunology using humanized mouse models. She holds a BSc/MSc/PhD from McMaster University and has held positions at Turnstone Biologics (2017-2019) and McMaster University (2019-2024) before joining Dalhousie. Education/Work: BSc/MSc/PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from McMaster University 2017-2019: Scientist at Turnstone Biologics 2019-2024: Assistant Professor at McMaster University Her laboratory investigates host-pathogen interactions, with a focus on developing humanized mouse models to study HIV cure pathways and TB co-infection dynamics. Recent work includes vaccine development against SARS-CoV-2 variants and cancer immunotherapy leveraging NK cells. Awards & Recognition: 2023-2026 E.J. Moran Campbell Internal Career Research Award (McMaster University) 2014 McMaster University Outstanding Thesis Award CIHR Frederick Banting & Charles Best Scholarship (2009-2011) Current activities include recruiting graduate/honours students and advancing translational research in immunomodulatory therapies and vaccine design. The Gillgrass Lab collaborates extensively across disciplines to address global health challenges posed by infectious diseases and cancer.
Tyler Bold, MD, PhD serves as Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine within the Department of Medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He concurrently holds faculty appointments in the Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology (MICaB) Ph.D. Graduate Program and the Department of Medicine, establishing a multidisciplinary research presence spanning infectious disease pathogenesis, immunology, and host-pathogen interactions. His research program integrates clinical infectious disease expertise with fundamental immunological investigation, focusing on tuberculosis host-directed immunotherapy, SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis mechanisms, and macrophage biology in atherosclerosis. Key interests include T cell costimulation in granulomatous diseases, viral-microbiome interactions during respiratory infections, and diagnostic innovations for resource-limited settings. His work bridges basic science discovery with translational clinical applications, particularly in immunocompromised populations and complex infectious syndromes. Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals dominant research trajectories in tuberculosis immunology (40% of articles), SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and therapeutics (35%), and atherosclerosis immunometabolism (15%), with emerging work on fungal infections in hematologic malignancies. The publications demonstrate consistent use of advanced techniques including single-cell resolution analysis, structural biology, and randomized clinical trials, reflecting both mechanistic depth and clinical relevance across infectious disease subspecialties.
Caetano Antunes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at the University of Kansas, where he joined in January 2023 after transitioning from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His research program focuses on host-microbe interactions with particular emphasis on small molecules in the gut metabolome and their effects on bacterial pathogen behavior. Dr. Antunes earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Microbiology from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (2000, 2002), completed his Ph.D. at the University of Iowa (2007), and conducted post-doctoral research at the University of British Columbia (2008-2012). His work bridges microbiology, metabolomics, and molecular biology to understand how microbial metabolites influence pathogen virulence and host responses. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on gut microbiome-derived small molecules and their regulatory effects on bacterial pathogens like Salmonella and Vibrio cholerae. His research spans from basic molecular mechanisms to potential therapeutic applications targeting pathogen virulence without directly killing bacteria, representing a promising antivirulence approach to combat antibiotic resistance. Dr. Antunes teaches courses including Introduction to Honors Research, Immunology Laboratory, Rigor and Reproducibility in Research, and Advanced Molecular Genetics, demonstrating his commitment to training the next generation of scientists in both foundational and advanced molecular techniques.
Professor Tayfun Özçelik serves as Dean of the Faculty of Science at Bilkent University, where he chairs the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. A distinguished human geneticist, his career spans foundational work in identifying genes for inherited disorders and pioneering DNA identification in Turkish judiciary systems. He has led diagnostic genetics laboratories at both Istanbul and Bilkent Universities. 1986: MD, İstanbul University Medical School Postdoctoral: Physiology (Munich), Human Genetics (Yale), Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Stanford) His research focuses on molecular characterization of inherited disorders including Prader-Willi syndrome, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and Parkinson’s. Current projects examine complex phenotypes like obesity and polycystic ovarian syndrome through genetic mapping and reverse phenotyping in consanguineous families. Recent work explores type I IFN immunity in severe COVID-19 cases. Key scientific contributions include discoveries of SNRPN for PWS, PMP22 for CMT1A, and HTRA2 for Parkinson’s. His lab also identified genes VLDLR , WDR81 , and ATP8A2 linked to cerebellar hypoplasia. Scientific Awards TÜBİTAK Young Investigator Award (1996) Bayındır Medical Award (2006) TÜBİTAK Science Award (2012) Dr. Özçelik has advised numerous graduate students and collaborates internationally, particularly with Rockefeller University. His work extends to X chromosome inactivation patterns in autoimmune diseases and establishing genomic medicine infrastructure in Turkey.
