Host Microbe-Interaction
Assistant Professor
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine
Founder and Director for the Collaborative Center of Multiplexing Proteomics
My laboratory aims to study the biochemistry that governs host-microbe interactions. From a systems scale to single target approach, we focus on studying bacterial pathogenesis, host responses to infection, and the impact of the microbiome on health and disease. At its core, the laboratory develops and applies multiplexing quantitative proteomics tools to simultaneously track thousands of protein dynamics and associated post-translational modifications in an accurate and high throughput fashion. We then interface microbiology techniques to characterize important factors identified during these interactions. When appropriate, translational studies of therapeutic value are undertaken in tissue culture, murine models, and by the analysis of human biospecimens. This information is then used to design novel strategies for the detection or treatment of microbial-driven infectious diseases in humans.
Education:
B.A. in Chemistry (2006) California State University, San Marcos; Ph.D. (2011) University of California, San Diego; Postdoctoral Fellow (2011-2014) University of California San Diego.
Awards and Honors:
Keystone Symposium Fellow (2019), UC President’s Postdoctoral Award (2014), IRACDA UCSD Fellowship (2013), A.P. Giannini Medical Fellow (2011), AGEP Fellow (2006), Competitive-edge Predoctoral Award (2006), UCSD STARS Program (2005).
Leadership Experience:
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Admission Underrepresented Minority Coordinator (2016-2019), Yale Bouchet Honor Society Inductee for excellent research and commitment to diversity and equality (2010).
- Development of mass spectrometry tools to study specialized molecules important to the host-microbe interaction.
- Elucidated mechanisms used by multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus to clear host microbiome.
- Lapek et al. (2017) Biomimetic Virulomics for Capture and Identification of Cell-Type Specific Effector Proteins. ACS nano 11:11831-11838.
- Markmiller et al. (2018). Context-Dependent and Disease-Specific Diversity in Protein Interactions within Stress Granules. Cell. 172(3):590-604.
- Lapek & Mills et al. (2018). Defining Host Responses during Systemic Bacterial Infection through Construction of a Murine Organ Proteome Atlas. Cell systems. 6(5):579-592.
- Singh et al. (2018). Dysregulated Microbial Fermentation of Soluble Fiber Induces Cholestatic Liver Cancer. Cell. 175(3):679-694.
- Wierzbicki and Campeau et al. (2019) Group A Streptococcal S Protein Utilizes Red Blood Cells as Immune Camouflage and Is a Critical Determinant for Immune Evasion. Cell Rep . 3;29(10):2979-2989.
- Wozniak et al. (2020) Mortality Risk Profiling of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia by Multi-omic Serum Analysis Reveals Early Predictive and Pathogenic Signatures. Cell.
- Multiplexed quantitative proteomics, metabolomics, and posttranslational modification characterization (e.g. phosphoproteomics)
- Identifying and characterizing virulence mechanisms and host responses as therapeutic targets in leading microbial pathogens.
- Specialized proteomics tools for the analysis of fecal and tissue samples associated with the human microbiome.
- Advanced biomarker discovery analysis that includes the identification of disease specific posttranslational modifications.