Faculty Studying Host-Microbe Interactions

Andreas Bäumler, Ph.D.
Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-754-7225 | e-mail
Research Interests: Molecular Mechanisms of Salmonella Interaction with the Intestinal Mucosa.

Lars Berglund, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Clinical and Translational Science Center
Associate Dean of Research
UC Davis School of Medicine
Ph: 916-703-9120 | e-mail

Charles Bevins, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-754-6889 | e-mail
Research Interests: Innate Immune Responses; Mucosal Immunology; Antimicrobial Peptides

Frank Chuang, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Center for Biophotonics Science and Technology
Ph: 916-734-1773 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused in Advanced optical methods to visualize and measure biological processes at the sub-cellular/molecular scale. Structured-illumination microscopy for superresolution imaging of HIV transfer through virological synapses. Chuang is an adjunct assistant professor in the Dept. of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, in association with the Center for Biophotonics and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Anthony Cornel, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Entomology
Ph: 559-646-6556 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused in Insecticide resistance in West Nile virus and malaria mosquito vectors, Population structure and systematics of the Culex pipiens complex, Population structure of the Anopheles gambiae complex and Vector competency of Culex pipiens complex for West Nile virus.

Abhaya Dandekar, Ph.D.
Professor, Plant Sciences
Ph: 530-752-7784 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused on molecular, biochemical and genomic dissection of genetic traits in fruit trees: particularly fascinated by the biochemical/physiological manifestation of phenotypic traits like disease and pest susceptibility/resistance. My lab is interested in understanding the relationship between specific traits and genes and is also interested in developing a system level understanding of the functional relationships between traits and genes in a genomics and whole plant context. We are also interested in developing technology and tools to enable trait specific diagnostics and to improve protein and/or gene based therapies.

Satya Dandekar, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-752-3409 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research program is focused on the molecular pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infections with special emphasis on gastrointestinal mucosal lymphoid tissue (GALT) as a major target organ of the viral infection and as a viral reservoir.

Scott Dawson, Ph.D.
Professor, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Ph: 530-752-3633 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused in Structural and cytoskeletal of the parasite Giardia and its interactions with the host. Comparative genomics of commensal and free-living anaerobic protists from the bovine rumen.

Savithramma Dinesh-Kumar, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Plant Biology
Ph: 530-752-2205 | e-mail
Research Interests: Aggressively pursuing basic research activities to understand the molecular mechanisms by which plant immune receptors recognize pathogens and initiate innate immune signaling.

Dennis Hartigan-O'Connor, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-754-4360 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused in the development of the human immune system and interaction of that system with agents of chronic infection such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Volkmar Heinrich, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Ph: 530-754-6644 | e-mail
Research Interests: Main interest is in understanding the inner workings of the small bits of life. Bridging the nano- (molecular) and micro- (cellular) scales, we study single biomolecule interactions within their physiologically relevant cellular context, and ask conversely how the cellular machinery orchestrates molecular interactions to carry out biological functions.

James Hildreth, Ph.D., M.D.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Meharry Medical College
e-mail
Research Interests: Area of expertise is how HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, enters cells and causes infection.

Michael Liebowitz, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-752-3427 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research focuses on the studies the interaction of malarial parasites with mammalian entothelial cells.

Johan Leveau, Ph.D.
Professor, Plant Pathology
Ph: 530-752-5046 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research centers on the structure and activity of microbial communities associated with plants.

Stephen McSorley, Ph.D.
Professor, Anatomy, Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Veterinary Medicine
Ph: 530-752-3414 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused in the Study the innate and adaptive immune response to Salmonella and Chlamydia infection and are particularly interested in visualizing these responses in mucosal tissues.

Katherine Ralston, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Ph: 530-752-5429 | e-mail
Research Interests: Host-parasite interactions, cell-cell interactions, cell death and repair processes using the pathogenic amoeba Entamoeba histolytica.

Jeroen P. J. Saeij, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-752-1401 | e-mail
Research Interests: Host-parasite interactions, innate and adaptive immune responses to parasites, genetics of host resistance and parasite virulence.

Sumathi Sankaran-Walter, Ph.D.
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology
Ph: 530-752-3542 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research interests includes the effects of menopause on mucosal health in women, the molecular basis for these effects, the role of hormones in the maintenance of mucosal integrity and barrier function and the combined effects HIV and aging on gut mucosal function and immunosenescence.

Jared Shaw, Ph.D.
Professor, Chemistry
Ph: 530-752-9979 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research is focused on the development of new reactions and the stereoselective synthesis of natural products and other biologically active molecules. We recently developed a novel four component reaction (4CR) that is being applied to the assembly of several complex polycyclic alkaloids. We are also synthesizing several natural products that target bacteria resistant to current antibiotics.

Jay Solnick, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Center for Comparative Medicine
Ph: 530-752-1333 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research program is focused on bacterial pathogenesis and Helicobacter pylori pathogenesis.

Bart Weimer, Ph.D.
Professor, Population Health and Reproduction
Ph: 530-752-6426 | e-mail
Research Interests: Research focuses on microbial systems biology. His program studies the molecular mechanism of host/microbe interactions and the role of bacterial physiology during association. These studies include integration of multi-omics data sets to draw biological function hypotheses from complex data sets.