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Dr. Garcia has been engaged in translational biomedical research for over 30 years and is a leader in research on the in vivo analysis of cancer, HIV transmission, prevention and cure. Dr. Garcia has made seminal contributions to our understanding of HIV pathogenesis, specifically the function of Nef, which is an important determinant of disease progression.

More recently, Dr. Garcia’s group has established an outstanding track record in the development, implementation and use of humanized mice. Since their landmark publication describing the humanized BLT mouse model and its derivatives, have been widely used to address key questions of HIV infection, transmission, prevention, and more recently, persistence and cure.

The recent development of the lung-only-mouse and BLT-lung models have dramatically expended the tropism of pathogens that can be studied in vivo using humanized mice. These new models have been used to study key aspects of the biology of respiratory viruses including SARS-CoV-2, MERS, SARS, RSV, and CMV including the evaluation of novel therapeutic approaches for the control of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

Pathogens being investigated:

• SARS, SARS-CoV-2, MERS, Bat Corona Viruses, Influenza
• African Swine, Fever Virus, Dengue Virus
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Dr. Kevin Harrod’s research focuses on elucidation of underlying mechanisms of respiratory viral infections, pneumonia, sepsis and critical illness, with a particular emphasis on disease caused by influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19.  Using translational and molecular approaches, Dr. Harrod’s lab is uncovering the underlying causes of secondary bacterial infection and pneumonia following respiratory viral infection.

Furthermore, Dr. Harrod is focused toward discovery of novel antiviral interventions that target both influenza and SARS-CoV-2.  The overarching goals of this laboratory is to identify novel interventions, therapies, and treatments to respiratory infections and critical illness.

Pathogens being investigated:

• High and Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus
• SARS-CoV2

Dr. Frances Lund laboratory study the role that innate (dendritic cells, monocytes, microglial cells and neutrophils) and adaptive cells (B and T cells) play in immune responses to pathogens, autoantigens and allergens. Their group’s research focus is understanding how anti-viral B cell immunity is established and maintained in the respiratory tract. In collaboration with long-time partners in the Randall lab, the Lund group has shown that B cells can form B cell follicles in the lungs of influenza infected mice and that these B cells contribute to local immunity.

They have also shown that B cells contribute to the development of highly functional memory virus-specific CD8 T cells and do so by producing antibodies that facilitate late antigen presentation by DCs to T cells. Currently, the Lund lab studies pulmonary immunity to COVID19 infection and vaccination, and their work in the SEBLAB consists of the analysis of antibody and memory B cell responses in preclinical mouse and hamster models of SARS-CoV-2.

Pathogens being investigated:

• SARS-CoV2

Frances E. Lund, PhD - Program in Immunology

Dr. Leal has a broad background in microbiology, immunology, and medicine with residency training in clinical pathology and fellowship training in medical microbiology. He is the Director of the UAB Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Fungal Reference Lab, and UAB’s High Containment Research Facility (SEBLAB) with significant expertise in the diagnosis of infectious diseases, medical mycology, and SARS-CoV-2 biology.

His research interests are 4-fold and include 1. Expert laboratory support for a variety of Infectious Disease (ID) clinical trials, 2. Evaluation of new commercial diagnostic tests seeking FDA approval, 3. Development of novel ID diagnostics, and 4. The mechanistic evaluation of host and microbial factors mediating the outcome of invasive mold infections in otherwise healthy hosts including: COVID-Associated 2° mold infections (CAPA/CAM), fungal keratitis, phaeohyphyomycosis, and dimorphic fungal infections.

As the SEBLAB Director, he is currently leading the implementation of cutting-edge scientific equipment and a scientific research team to support in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo research on high-containment pathogens.

Pathogens being investigated:

• SARS-CoV2
• BSL-2 and BSL-3 Fungi

Dr. Michael Niederweis is a renowned TB researcher known for his work on the biology of mycobacterial cell envelopes, particularly in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis. One of the most prominent features of M. tuberculosis is the production of large quantities of unusual lipids. The Niederweis lab showed for the first time that these lipids are organized in an outer membrane that plays a crucial role in the intrinsic drug resistance of M. tuberculosis and in its survival in vivo.

This outer membrane is functionalized by mostly unknown proteins of very low abundance. The research focus of his lab is to identify and characterize novel outer membrane proteins because they provide essential functions with unknown mechanisms (nutrient uptake, secretion of small molecules and proteins) and have new structures. The goal of Niederweis lab is to understand how M. tuberculosis funtionalizes its unusual outer membrane on a molecular level and the role of these transport mechanisms in the biology and pathogenesis of M. tuberculosis.

In pioneering efforts his lab discovered the first outer membrane channel protein in mycobacteria, obtained the first crystal structure of a mycobacterial outer membrane protein and identified several novel outer membrane proteins of M. tuberculosis. The Niederweis lab elucidated the mechanisms of secretion and trafficking of the major toxin of M. tuberculosis (TNT), which plays a key role in pathogenesis. In addition, they have identified transporters involved in siderophore secretion, heme uptake and secretion of small proteins. Most of these proteins are important for virulence of M. tuberculosis.

Pathogens being investigated:

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Dr. Steven Rowe’s research group is working to develop animal models of COVID-19, something he has pioneered for cystic fibrosis. In the project “A Ferret Model of COVID-19 Pathogenesis and Treatment“, Rowe’s research group study pursued the hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 infection could cause mucociliary dysfunction through the involvement of ciliated respiratory cells, and this could be modeled in certain animals to show severity.

His work has shown that mucociliary dysfunction is in fact happening in animal models and may contribute to secondary infections observed in COVID-19. His group is also testing mucociliary transport enhancing drugs as anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies using human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells fully differentiated at air liquid interphase as a model. In this same model, his group is studying the susceptibility of CF HBE cells to SARS CoV-2 compared to normal cells.

Pathogens being investigated:

• SARS-CoV2

Dr. Adrie Steyn is a basic scientist with appointments at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), Durban, South Africa. Dr. Steyn have a broad background in molecular genetics, with specific in-depth training and expertise in Mycobacteria tuberculosis (Mtb) virulence and pathogenesis using different animal models for tuberculosis (TB).

Dr. Adrie Steyn laboratory's primary research interest lies in understanding the mechanisms by which M. tuberculosis persists within the human body for extended periods, often without causing symptoms, and then reactivates leading to active TB disease. Their groups research focus shifted slightly towards applying basic science training to understand the fundamental principles of disease and persistence in human pulmonary TB patients.

Dr. Steyn's research contributes significantly to the global fight against TB by providing valuable insights into this complex disease. His work holds promise for the development of new diagnostic tools, treatments, and prevention strategies.

Pathogens being investigated:

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Adrie Steyn - Africa Health Research Institute (ahri.org)

Dr. Wahl’s overarching research goal is to improve global health by developing precision animal models that recapitulate key aspects of human biology and can be used to conduct basic and translational research about the human condition in health and disease.

Dr. Wahl’s primary research focus is the creation and implementation of humanized mouse models, immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human hematopoietic cells and/or tissues, to address fundamental aspects of basic human immunology, transplantation, cancer and infection with human pathogens including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and respiratory viruses and bacteria.

Pathogens being investigated:

• SARS-CoV-2, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)