Allied Health Sciences

EDUCATION

• Post-doctoral Fellowship, Infection & Immunity of Yersinia, Trudeau Institute, Saranac Lake NY
• Ph.D. in Microbiology/Immunology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA
• M.S. in Clinical Microbiology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI

COURSES TAUGHT

• BIO 105 Microbes & Me
• BIO 365/663 Medical Mycology and Parasitology
• CLS 327/610/612 Clinical Microbiology I
• CLS 329/620/622 Clinical Microbiology II
• CLS 400/BHS 730 Principle of Clinical Laboratory Management 
• BHS 790 CLS Capstone

CURRENT RESEARCH INTERESTS

Project 1

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a Gram-negative bacterium, is the leading cause of seafood-related bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States. Most commonly associated with the ingestion of raw oysters, this emerging pathogen can causes self-limiting gastrointestinal infection, wound infection and, in the immunocompromised host, significant systemic disease leading to death.  Though the frequency of raw oyster consumption is unknown, approximately 20% of the United States population (60 million) are at increased risk of infection due to immunocompromised conditions.  In addition, the CDC has recently reported a 39% increase in the number of culture confirmed Vibrio infections. There is a dearth of literature regarding the host response to infection, the genes required for organism survival within the host, and pathogen elimination. Our goal is to characterize the host response to infection that may allow it to evade the host innate responses and potentially contributing to pathogenesis by preventing rapid elimination from the infected host.

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2013, 16 & 17: Nominated, University of Delaware Award for Excellence in Teaching & Advising
• 2011 & 2013: American Association of Immunologists, Early Career Faculty Award
• 2007: American Society of Microbiology, Early Career Faculty Award

PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS

• 2015-17: Program Director, Medical Diagnostics (MDD) & MDD Pre-Physician Assistant
                  Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark DE
• 2014-15: Interim Chairperson, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
                 University of Delaware, Newark DE
• 2013: Associate Professor with tenure, Department of Medical Laboratory Science
            College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark DE
• 2007: Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
            College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark DE

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP

• American Association of Immunologists
• American Society of Microbiology
• American Society of Clinical Laboratory Sciences