Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

Msphere Of Influence: Autoantibodies During Malaria—A Historical Observation Taking The Modern Spotlight, Juan Rivera-Correa

Publications and Research

Juan Rivera-Correa works in the field of immunology of tropical infectious diseases, focusing on the role of autoimmune responses in malaria. In this mSphere of Influence article, he discusses the papers by Rosenberg and Daniel-Ribeiro, which were two of the first papers to report the presence of autoantibodies in malaria patients, changing the paradigm and blurring the line between autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases.

Immunomodulatory And Signaling Molecules From Plant-Associated Bacteria: Toll-Like Receptor 4 Agonist Adjuvants And Diketopiperazine-Mediated Communication, Marian Romaine

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Medicinal plants and their associated microbiomes constitute a rich source of bioactive natural products with applications in immunotherapy and microbial ecology. Herbal formulations have long been valued for safe immune enhancement, while bacterial signaling molecules govern community behaviors critical to pathogenesis, symbiosis, and environmental processes. Bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from plant-associated Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as potent TLR4 agonists, yet their endotoxic potential limits direct use, and diketopiperazines (DKPs) serve as versatile quorum-sensing mediators capable of modulating biofilms in mixed microbial systems.

The work in this thesis comprises two independent but complementary research strands. The first strand pursued the engineering of …

Bmp Signaling Co-Regulation Of Immune Response And Lipid Metabolism, Katerina K. Yamamoto

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) are secreted peptide ligands of the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-β) family, initially identified for their roles in development and differentiation across animal species. They are now increasingly recognized for their roles in physiology and infectious disease. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the BMP ligand DBL-1 controls fat metabolism and immune response, in addition to its roles in body size regulation and development. DBL-1 regulates classical aspects of innate immunity, including the induction of anti-microbial peptides. We theorized that BMP-dependent regulation of fat metabolism could also promote resilience against microbial pathogens. We found that …

Individual, Social, And Environmental Factors Associated With Patterns Of Parasitic Infection In Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus Imitator), Megan C. Henriquez

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Parasites, and the infectious diseases they carry, are thought to have significantly impacted our evolutionary trajectory for millennia. Exploring how parasites are acquired and transmitted by their hosts in wild, natural populations is integral to understanding how similar processes may have shaped host-parasite co-evolutionary relationships over time. However, parasitological studies in humans and in non-human primates have produced inconsistent results, highlighting the dynamic, nuanced, and unique relationships individual parasites have with their hosts. These relationships are largely regulated by variation in factors at host, social, and environmental levels. Characteristics unique to the host (e.g., age and sex), factors pertaining to …

Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Replication And Transcription Complexes Via Structural And Evolutionary Approaches, Amelie Ghirardo, Ben Shabatian, Avishai Aghelian, Kyle Tau, Eleonora Gianti

Undergraduate Research

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused around 700M cases and over 7M COVID-19-related deaths recorded worldwide (World Health Organization, March 2025). Aiming to effectively combat this and other disease-causing Coronaviruses (CoV), unprecedented research efforts led to the development of new vaccines and antiviral therapies. Due to emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) with increased transmissibility, immune evasion from vaccination, and potential to resist the available treatments, SARS-CoV-2 continues to represent a major threat to global health. Hence, there is a pressing need to discover new antivirals with broad-spectrum efficacy against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and related CoVs. This project …

In The Quest For New Horizons: Evaluating Novel Therapeutic Approaches For Tuberculosis Treatment, Selassie Mawuko, Aminata Traore, Bibi-Sakeena Khemraj, Anna Steto, Richa Gupta

Publications and Research

Tuberculosis (TB) in humans, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a significant global health concern, resulting in high disease burden and mortality each year which together make it the world’s topmost infectious killer. The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in recent decades has further exacerbated the present situation and warrants an urgent need to develop and investigate innovative treatment regimes. This study aims to assess the therapeutic potential of newly identified drug candidates, namely Bedaquiline, Delamanid, and Linezolid, in treating MDR-TB. We adopted a consolidated and integrated approach encompassing a thorough literature review, empirical experimental studies, multiple sequence alignments, and …

Investigating Genetic Regulators Of Crystal Cell Development In Drosophila Melanogaster, Andrea Feria, Nyla Walbrook, Anisa Turaeva, Rebecca Spokony

Publications and Research

Crystal cells, a subset of Drosophila melanogaster hemocytes, are important for melanization, a crucial immune response. While the genetic regulation of crystal cell develop remains incompletely understood, this study investigates the functions of five candidate genes: ACXB, ACXA, Gp210, CG4390, and Cyp4s3; identidied through previous genome-wide association studies. Using the Gal4/UAS system along with RNA interference (RNAi), we exclusively knocked down each gene in third instar larvae and quantified crystal cell populations following heat shock-induced melanization. Our results imply that the knockdown of ACXB and ACXA significantly increased crystal cell counts in both sexes, suggesting these genes either act as …

Characterizing Malaria Infections In Caribbean Lizards: Parasite Niche Expansion & Host Response, Sarah J. Pangburn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Malaria is historically one of the most severe parasitic human diseases and is still responsible for over half a million deaths annually. Plasmodium species, the causative agents of malaria, are often characterized by two hallmark features of their asexual stages: the invasion of vertebrate red blood cells and the presence of hemozoin pigment as a byproduct of host hemoglobin digestion. Despite their evolutionary relatedness to mammalian Plasmodium, wildlife malaria parasites are understudied, leaving their vast genetic diversity to be explored. Lizard-infective malaria parasites, for example, include over 100 species of Plasmodium and present a diverse array of phenotypes, some …

Toxin-Like Proteins In The Venom Of Drosophila Parasitoids, Lady V. Cardenas

Dissertations and Theses

The figitid parasitoid wasps of Drosophila are gaining importance in agriculture due to their ability to kill the resilient soft-fruit pest Drosophila suzukii. Their success and infection strategies vary, and the mechanisms underlying these differences are largely unknown. Some of their venom proteins have been shown to be important in suppressing host defense. Here, we report that Ganaspis brasiliensis, a parasitoid of D. suzukii survives well on Drosophila yakuba, a host species with a strong cellular immunity, and infected flies are unable to mount a strong immune response. To predict possible toxin-like proteins in Ganaspis venoms that might suppress cellular …

Explorations Of Dna-Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Interactions To Develop Multiplexed Molecularly Specific Biosensors For Inflammation, Amelia K. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses

Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) are central regulators of immune signaling and key biomarkers of disease, yet existing assays for their detection remain slow, invasive, and lack multiplexing ability. This dissertation advances the development of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) optical nanosensors capable of real-time, multiplexed, and molecularly specific cytokine detection through innovative use of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) interfaces.

First, an IL-6-specific DNA aptamer was employed as both a dispersing agent and recognition probe for SWCNT fluorescence sensing. Sequence modifications, including anchor domains, truncations, and thermally induced refolding, were systematically tested to optimize sensitivity and selectivity. The …

Understanding Primate Immunity To African Trypanosomes Through The Characterization Of Trypanosome Lytic Factor Formation And Function, Sara Fresard

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

African trypanosomes cause an annual loss of over 1 billion USD due to their economic and agricultural burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. These parasites are unicellular, extracellular parasites, that infect humans, cattle, and other livestock. Humans and some non-human primates are protected against most species of trypanosomes due to an innate immunity factor, Trypanosome Lytic Factor (TLF). This modified High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) contains two unique proteins, Haptoglobin Related Protein (HPR), a ligand to a trypanosome surface receptor, and Apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1), the lytic component. Our overall goal is to use our understanding of primate immunity to create genetically modified cattle that …

Analyzing Hiv/Aids Trends And Disparities In The Bronx: A Comparative Study With Nyc Boroughs, Caleb Adjei

CUNY Mexican Studies Institute

This study analyzes changes in reported HIV/AIDS cases over time in the Bronx, identifying the racial/ethnic groups and neighborhoods most affected by the disease. The Bronx consistently exhibits the highest rate of new HIV diagnoses among New York City’s boroughs, with Latino/Hispanic and Black populations being disproportionately impacted. Key neighborhoods like High Bridge-Morrisania, Crotona-Tremont, and Fordham-Bronx Park have the highest case concentrations. Despite advancements in healthcare and treatments like antiretroviral therapy, disparities persist. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to support the most affected communities and address the underlying social determinants contributing to the disparities in HIV/AIDS diagnoses.

A One Health Approach To Enhancing Sars-Cov-2 Surveillance, Lauren C. Cybulska

Dissertations and Theses

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) in humans, can also infect domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and cats (Felis catus). Susceptibility and viral transmissibility in these species are concerns for public health due to the spillover risk to humans or other animals. This dissertation uses a One Health framework to explore key issues on this topic. We aim to identify gaps in understanding of SARS-CoV-2 in companion animals and investigate novel surveillance methods through human, animal, and environmental health perspectives.

Methods

Paper 1 provides an in-depth exploration of …

Pipecolic Acid And Novel Insights Into Cerebral Malaria, Akua E. Mensah

Theses and Dissertations

Cerebral malaria (CM), a severe manifestation of Plasmodium infection, prompts our investigation into the nuanced role of pipecolic acid in its pathophysiology. To unravel the molecular intricacies, we conducted in vitro lysine labeling techniques of mice infected with P. berghei ANKA parasites, and human P. falciparum grown in vitro, aiming to discern the impact of Plasmodium on pipecolic acid production. Previous observations indicated an elevation in pipecolic acid levels correlating with neurological decline in children with CM. In our study, confirming elevated pipecolic acid presence in the plasma and brain tissues of CM patients and the animal model of CM, …

Avian Symbionts Of Sulawesi: Identifying And Correlating Malaria Parasites And The Microbiome In Communities Of Endemic Avian Hosts, Rachael Joakim

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Since the evolution of complex organisms, there have been communities of symbionts inhabiting them. Thanks to the development of parallel sequencing techniques, DNA of entire microbial communities can be sequenced from a single sample. Some microbes can be parasitic in nature, such as Haemosporida, an order of eukaryotes causing malaria. While most symbionts form a more commensal host relationship in wild systems, host-symbiont dynamics can vary in pathogenicity based on biotic and abiotic factors. In vertebrates, microbial communities in the gut play a major role in host function, including immune responses to Haemosporida. Though this relationship is most commonly explored …

Atm-/-Ung-/- Mice Present Reduced Levels Of Switched Immunoglobulin Isotypes Igg1 And Igg3, Lyric M. Haughton

Dissertations and Theses

B cells excise and recombine the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene locus during class switch recombination (CSR). CSR is mediated by activation induced cytidine deaminase (AID) and results in a new immunoglobulin isotype that B cells will secrete and present. AID produces mutations that convert cytosines to uracils within the intronic switch regions that precede and follow the target immunoglobulin isotype coding sequence. To resolve the mutations, B cells conduct either base excision repair (BER) or mismatch repair (MMR). Inactivating genetic mutations in BER or MMR reduce CSR. For example, a knock-out of uracil DNA glycosylase (UNG) causes a 50% reduction …

Roles For Mycobacterial Dinb2 In Frameshift And Substitution Mutagenesis, Pierre Dupuy, Shreya Ghosh, Allison Fay, Oyindamola Adefisayo, Richa Gupta, Stewart Shuman, Michael S. Glickman

Publications and Research

Translesion synthesis by translesion polymerases is a conserved mechanism of DNA damage tolerance. In bacteria, DinB enzymes are the widely distributed promutagenic translesion polymerases. The role of DinBs in mycobacterial mutagenesis was unclear until recent studies revealed a role for mycobacterial DinB1 in substitution and frameshift mutagenesis, overlapping with that of translesion polymerase DnaE2. Mycobacterium smegmatis encodes two additional DinBs (DinB2 and DinB3) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes DinB2, but the roles of these polymerases in mycobacterial damage tolerance and mutagenesis is unknown. The biochemical properties of DinB2, including facile utilization of ribonucleotides and 8-oxo- guanine, suggest that DinB2 could be …

Tgf-B Signaling Mechanisms In Caenorhabditis Elegans Response To Bacterial Pathogens, Emma J. Ciccarelli

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

When exposed to infection, the nematode C. elegans mounts an innate immune response through secretion of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Different signaling pathways in the worm regulate release of these AMPs. One highly conserved pathway is the C. elegans BMP like pathway – regulated by the ligand DBL-1. The DBL-1 pathway is noted for its significant role in development but has also been shown to regulate many post-developmental processes within the worm, including the immune response. We are interested in determining how DBL-1 signaling can mediate a response specific to immunity, separate from its other functions in the worm. Through survival …

Function Of Atm And Msh2 During Dna Repair And Recombination, Emily Sible

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Class switch recombination (CSR) produces secondary immunoglobulin isotypes and requires AID-dependent DNA deamination of intronic switch (S) regions within the immunoglobulin heavy chain (Igh) gene locus. Non-canonical repair of deaminated DNA by mismatch repair (MMR) or base excision repair (BER) creates DNA breaks that permit recombination between distal S regions. ATM-dependent phosphorylation of AID at serine-38 (pS38-AID) promotes its interaction with APE1, a BER protein, suggesting that ATM regulates CSR through BER. However, pS38-AID may also function in MMR during CSR, although the mechanism remains unknown. To examine whether ATM modulates BER- and/or MMR-dependent CSR, Atm^-/- mice …

Prenatal Choline Supplementation During Maternal Obesity Alters Offspring Response To Western Diets, Hunter W. Korsmo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Maternal obesity has led to an increase in adverse offspring developmental outcomes and a greater risk for long-term metabolic diseases. Choline, a semi-essential nutrient, can be incorporated into phosphatidylcholine (PC) as well as sphingomyelin (SM) and donate its labile methyl group for the remethylation of homocysteine after choline is oxidized to betaine. Prenatal choline insufficiency has been related to maternal obesity and metabolic diseases, such as metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Choline may interact with maternal obesity to influence the programming offspring.

Chapter 1 presents an introduction of choline and the various clinical outcomes associated with choline supplementation during …

Borders: A Story Of Political Imagination, Miriam Ticktin

Publications and Research

This article traces three different political imaginaries about borders, suggesting that the dominant imaginary—the one of border walls, driven by a fear of invasion—is only one way to live in the world. The goal is to make space in our political imaginations to rethink how we live together, including thinking beyond nation-states as containers that keep people in or out. By first showing how the vision of invasion is built and maintained with intersecting transnational technologies and ideologies, I open the way to thinking otherwise. Second, I trace the counterpolitics of borders developed by artists and activists, resisting borders and …

Genomic Insights Into Mechanisms Of Microbial Evolution And Evolution-Inspired Strategies To Combat Pathogen Diversity, Saymon Akther

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

We live in an era of emerging infectious diseases that are increasingly common, rapidly spreading, and gravely devastating. Lyme disease, caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Borreliella, is rapidly rising in the Northern Hemisphere because of geographic range expansion of both the tick vectors and the pathogens. Evolutionary comparative analysis of Borreliella genomes is a key to understanding the phylogeographic history and mechanisms of their global diversification. Moreover, genomic variations in Borreliella associated with human pathogenicity, e.g., at loci encoding cell-surface antigens interacting with the vertebrate hosts, have not been fully identified. Similarly, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused …

Thrombospondin-1 Expression And Modulation Of Wnt And Hippo Signaling Pathways During The Early Phase Of Trypanosoma Cruzi Infection Of Heart Endothelial Cells, Ashutosh Arun, Kayla J. Rayford, Ayorinde Cooley, Tanu Rana, Girish Rachakonda, Fernando Villalta, Siddharth Pratap, Maria F. Lima, Nader Sheibani, Pius N. Nde

Publications and Research

The protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, causes severe morbidity and mortality in afflicted individuals. Approximately 30% of T. cruzi infected individuals present with cardiac pathology. The invasive forms of the parasite are carried in the vascular system to infect other cells of the body. During transportation, the molecular mechanisms by which the parasite signals and interact with host endothelial cells (EC) especially heart endothelium is currently unknown. The parasite increases host thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) expression and activates the Wnt/β-catenin and hippo signaling pathways during the early phase of infection. The links between TSP1 and activation of the signaling pathways and …

Editorial: Pathogens, Pathobionts, And Autoimmunity, Linda A. Spatz, Gregg J. Silverman, Judith A. James

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Bcr Affinity Influences T-B Interactions And B Cell Development In Secondary Lymphoid Organs, Alec J. Wishnie, Tzippora Chwat-Edelstein, Mary Attaway, Bao Q. Vuong

Publications and Research

B cells produce high-affinity immunoglobulins (Igs), or antibodies, to eliminate foreign pathogens. Mature, naïve B cells expressing an antigen-specific cell surface Ig, or B cell receptor (BCR), are directed toward either an extrafollicular (EF) or germinal center (GC) response upon antigen binding. B cell interactions with CD4+ pre-T follicular helper (pre- Tfh) cells at the T-B border and effector Tfh cells in the B cell follicle and GC control B cell development in response to antigen. Here, we review recent studies demonstrating the role of B cell receptor (BCR) affinity in modulating T-B interactions and the subsequent differentiation of B …

Allergy And Anaphylaxis From The Prehospital Perspective, Anthony E. Conrardy

Dissertations and Theses

Anaphylaxis is considered a severe, potentially fatal, systemic allergic reaction that occurs suddenly after contact with an allergy causing substance. It is estimated that up to 5% of the population has experienced anaphylaxis, with 1% of hospitalizations and 0.1% of emergency department patients having fatal outcomes. We characterized the population of patients encountered by the EMS agency (786 patients) that had a provider impression of “allergic reaction” and then utilized logistic regression models to estimate associations with the administration of epinephrine in the prehospital setting. Additionally, we used incident location data for all patient encounters of the EMS agency …

Development And Maintenance Of The Thymic Epithelial Microenvironment, Shami Chakrabarti

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The thymus plays a critical role in adaptive immunity by providing a suitable microenvironment for developing and selecting the functional self-tolerant T-cell population. Thymic epithelial cells play an essential role in the development of a naïve, self-tolerant T-cell population. Paradoxically thymus undergoes acute age-related involution, which in turn causes loss of functional T-cell populations. Involution reduces the functionality of the thymus markedly, but the thymus can still develop self-tolerant naïve T-cells. It is crucial to understand how the thymic microenvironment is maintained to provide a suitable T-cell population for life. It has been previously demonstrated that the thymic epithelial homeostasis …

Insights Into Leptopilina Spp. Immune-Suppressive Strategies Using Mixed-Omics And Molecular Approaches, Brian Wey

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Host-parasite interactions influence the biology of each over the course of evolution. Parasite success allows for the passage of potent virulence strategies from generation to generation. Host success passes stronger immunity and resistance strategies to the following generations as well. Only by studying both partners within their natural contexts can we begin to understand the relationship between the two and how immune mechanisms and virulence strategies interact as a molecular arms race.

In this work, we focus on a natural host-parasite pair, the Drosophila-Leptopilina model. Leptopilina species are parasites of several fruit fly species, including Drosophila melanogaster. This model …

Are Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters Needed? The Science Behind Boosters, Rachel M. Burckhardt, John J. Dennehy, Leo L. M. Poon, Linda J. Saif, Lynn W. Enquist

Publications and Research

Waning vaccine-induced immunity coupled with the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to increases in breakthrough infections, prompting consideration for vaccine booster doses. Boosters have been reported to be safe and increase SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibody levels, but how these doses impact the trajectory of the global pandemic and herd immunity is unknown. Information on immunology, epidemiology and equitable vaccine distribution should be considered when deciding the timing and eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine boosters.

Molecular And Genetic Studies On A Sipd/Ipad-Related Virulence Spike Protein From Immune-Suppressive Particles Of A Drosophila Parasitoid, Carlo Miguel A. Sevilla

Dissertations and Theses

Parasitoid wasps are effective biological control agents that have evolved intricate host immune suppression strategies to overcome host immune defenses. The most important anti-parasite defense mechanism is encapsulation, where the host’s blood cells surround the wasp egg. In the Drosophila/Leptopilina host-parasitoid system, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are oviposited along with the wasp egg. The EVs possess spikes and contain hundreds of proteins, some of which enable wasp eggs to escape encapsulation by changing the morphology and function of hemocytes, or killing them. Previous studies have identified an abundant surface/spike protein (SSp40) from Leptopilina heterotoma EVs. While p40, a predicted …