Research Interest: Microscopy/Imaging
Name | PhD Program | Research Interest | Publications |
---|---|---|
Liu, Qingyun PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Traditionally, basic science has sought to enter the translational pipeline through what can be referred to as “Bottom-Up” science, that is, studies that start with a hypothesis in the lab and aim to develop clinical relevance of the findings. In some cases, notably in conventional antibiotic development, this has worked well – but it assumes one-size fits all solutions that are only as good as our assumptions about the biology of many infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. By contrast, my research focuses on a “Top-Down” approach, leveraging the power of bacterial population genomics to identify bacterial processes important for Mtb success in people and to then employ cutting-edge experimental techniques to mechanistically dissect these processes with the goal of leveraging them using new translational tools. In my work to date, I have applied this “Top-Down” strategy to define bacterial determinants of treatment outcomes and transmission success, as evident in first-author/corresponding author publications in prestigious journals such as Science, Nature Ecology Evolution, Cell Host Microbe, Science Advances, Genome Biology, PNAS, etc. My work combines expertise in evolutionary biology and bacterial genomics, cutting-edge bacterial genetics and high-throughput experimental phenotyping. In my own lab, I will use these tools to (1) define the biological mechanisms that enable Mtb to survive antibiotic treatment; (2) identify bacterial determinants of TB transmission success; and (3) elucidate the evolutionary mechanisms underlying the emergence of new bacterial pathogens. |
Guardia, Charly WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
The human placenta is the first organ to develop after fertilization and is the least studied! We hope to change this by using a multidisciplinary approach. From iPSC-derived trophoblasts in culture to mouse models and human placenta tissue, the Placental Cell Biology Group at NIEHS answers fundamental questions about placenta cell and developmental biology. Our lab uses a range of microscopy (cryo-EM, fluorescence), recombinant protein production, and -omics techniques. The goal of our research is to understand how autophagy controls placenta development, differentiation, and function. |
Ehre, Camille WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
The Ehre laboratory studies the role of mucus in obstructive pulmonary diseases, such as asthma, and cystic fibrosis (CF), as well as in response to respiratory viruses (SARS-CoV-2 and RSV). Our research goal is to gain insights into the basic defects of airway mucus that lead to impaired mucociliary clearance and viral penetration. We use in vitro and in vivo models to study disease pathogenesis, test pharmacological agents and investigate how mucus obstruction and viral infection cause epithelial damage. In addition, we examine patient specimens to understand the role of inflammatory cytokines in disease severity. For these projects, we use integrative omics technologies (transcriptomics, digital spatial profiler, phenocycler) and high-resolution imaging (live, laser and scanning/transmission electron microscopy) to answer critical questions regarding mucus biology and airways response to inhaled pathogens and/or treatment. |