Immunology and Infectious Disease Commons^™

From Cranes To Clinics: Genomic Epidemiology At The Human-Animal Interface, Sarah Shrum

Biology ETDs

Emerging infectious diseases represent a significant, increasing threat to human life, economic stability, and global security. The One Health framework, which promotes human health and wellness through the understanding that animal, environmental, and human health are interwoven, is critical to understanding pathogen emergence and transmission. This is underscored by the fact that roughly 60% of all human pathogens and 75% of emerging infectious disease are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans.

The work presented in this dissertation integrates genomic epidemiology, ecological analysis, and One Health Surveillance approaches to characterize cross-species circulation of opportunistic yeast pathogens (Candida …

Potential Innate And Adaptive Roles Played By Γδ T Cells In A Bacterial Immunization Model, Lee Anne Talbot

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of tularemia, with pulmonary infection resulting in severe disease and high mortality if untreated. While protective immunity to F. tularensis has been largely attributed to CD4⁺ T cell–mediated IFN-γ responses, the contribution of γδ T cells to mucosal immunity and vaccine-induced protection remains poorly defined. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of γδ T cells during primary pulmonary infection with F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) and following intranasal immunization with inactivated F. tularensis (iFt) prior to LVS challenge.

Using a murine intranasal infection …

Dynamical Systems Modeling To Determine The Role Of Crosstalk In Shaping Stat Signaling Profiles, Laura F. Strube, Anamarie Martinez, Neha Cheemalavagu, Karsen Shoger, James Faeder, Rachel Gottschalk

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

Impact Of The Dose And The Number Of Transmitted/Founder Viruses On Siv Dynamics, Sunil Maity, Vitaly V. Ganusov

Biology and Medicine Through Mathematics Conference

No abstract provided.

The Risk Of Bpa In B Lymphocyte-Mediated Autoimmunity, Mario J. Palacios

Senior Honors Theses

Autoimmune disorders disproportionately affect females, a bias largely attributed to estrogen's modulation of B lymphocyte development and tolerance. Bisphenol A (BPA), a common plastic monomer, shows estrogenic activity and acts as an endocrine disruptor and epigenetic modifier. This thesis examines how BPA may increase autoimmune risk by mimicking estrogen such that it can excite estrogen receptors which rescue autoreactive B lymphocytes from apoptosis. While direct research linking BPA to B lymphocyte-mediated autoimmunity is limited, understanding BPA’s course of action in B lymphocytes is critical for addressing the rising prevalence of autoimmune diseases and its possible link to the increased and …

In Vitro Modeling Of Macrophage And Cd8+ T Cell Activation: Evaluating Immortalized Cell Lines For Use In Undergraduate Immunology Laboratories, Lucy Groothuis

Masters Theses

The immune system is a complex, highly coordinated network of cells and signaling molecules that protects the body from infection and disease. Immunology is therefore a fundamental component of undergraduate education for students pursuing careers in medicine and biomedical research. Despite its importance, many undergraduate immunology courses lack a laboratory component. To address this gap, we developed an open-access immunology laboratory manual and evaluated its ability to generate meaningful data using primary murine cells and commercially available cell lines. Given the cost and logistical constraints of using mouse models in an undergraduate laboratory setting, we evaluated whether immortalized cell lines …

Developing Antibodies Against Galectin-3 And Galectin-9 To Target Endometriosis, Ashleigh Burger, Noah Farnsworth, Jared J. Reisnouer, Cheyenne Vue

2026 Symposium

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by pelvic pain and the formation of endometrial-like tissue on the outside of the uterine lining. This condition affects nearly 10% of women across the globe and confirming whether someone has endometriosis requires visualization in surgery. While the specific causes of this disease remain unclear, the over-expression of the Galectins 3 and 9 in ectopic endometrial tissues suggests a role in the development and maintenance of the condition. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are highly specific proteins with potential as diagnostic or treatment tools. The goal of this study is to generate antibodies against Gal3 and Gal9. …

The Influence Of Prosthetic Obturators On Quality Of Life In Individuals With Maxillectomy Defects, Minseok Kim

Oral Health

Abstract

Introduction: In recent years, there has been a growing focus on understanding the impact of oral cancer on patients' quality of life. Prosthetic rehabilitation techniques, such as maxillary obturators, often in conjunction with reconstructive surgery, have emerged as interventions to address the challenges posed by post-maxillectomy abnormalities.

Objective: This study aims to systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of maxillofacial prosthetic rehabilitation using obturators in enhancing the quality of life of patients following maxillectomy.

Methodology: Systematic review of identified literature spanning the timeframe from 2000 to 2020 was used. The comprehensive search encompassed widely recognized databases including PubMed, …

Optimization Of Refolding, Purification, And Analytical Characterization Of Proinsulin(F25d) Soluble Antigen Array Immunotherapy, Abigail Richardson

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is characterized by autoreactive immune responses to insulin and its precursor, proinsulin. Soluble antigen arrays (SAgAs) displaying the metabolically inactive proinsulin variant, proinsulin(F25D), represent a promising antigen‑specific immunotherapy candidate for T1D. However, the production of these platforms is hindered by substantial practical challenges, including protein aggregation, inefficient refolding, and the lack of sensitive analytical tools to verify quality and dosage. This work establishes an integrated, scalable pipeline for the purification, conjugation, and quantification of a proinsulin(F25D) SAgA. First, we optimized the refolding of recombinant methionine-proinsulin(F25D) (M-PI(F25D)) from inclusion bodies using controlled buffer systems and created a …

Ai×Life 2026: Advances In Computational Biology Across Scales For Life & Health Sciences, Suma Mohan S., Devika N. T., Pranavathiyani G.

Conference Proceedings

Book of Abstracts of the International Conference, AIxLife 2026: Advances in Computational Biology Across Scales for Life & Health Sciences, held on 17–18 April 2026, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, INDIA 

About the Conference

Conventional computational biology laid the foundation for biological data analysis through statistical models, algorithms, and curated databases, enabling insights into genes, proteins, and pathways. Today, the integration of artificial intelligence, spanning machine learning, deep learning, and large language models (LLMs) is driving a transformative shift across biological scales, from atomic and molecular interactions to pathways, cellular systems, organisms, and populations.

AI-powered approaches …

From Antigen Presentation To Tumor Control: Mechanisms Of Type I Conventional Dendritic Cell-Based Cancer Vaccines, Josue E. Pineda

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) are important for generating and sustaining antitumor immunity. Accordingly, the abundance of cDC1s in human tumors correlates with improved outcomes in cancer. Capitalizing on this role, we previously demonstrated that vaccination with in vitro-derived murine cDC1s elicits durable tumor control in multiple preclinical models; however, the immunological mechanisms underlying the efficacy of cDC1 vaccination remain unclear. Here, we examined whether in vitro-derived cDC1s resemble tumor-infiltrating DC populations and whether MHC-I and MHC-II antigen presentation contribute to cDC1-mediated tumor control following vaccination in melanoma.

As expected, MHC-I- or MHC-II-deficiency had minimal impact on …

Understanding Epigenomic Landscapes In Cancer Progression And Immunotherapy Response, Jonathan Schulz

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Nonmutational epigenomic reprogramming has emerged as a key hallmark of cancer that plays crucial roles in tumor evolution during its progression and response to therapy. However, the extent and nature of epigenomic reprogramming remains poorly understood. This dissertation examines how epigenetic regulation shapes cancer progression and response to immunotherapy. Working at the intersection of cancer biology and computational genomics, it develops analytical frameworks for characterizing chromatin structure and DNA methylation across diverse tumor contexts and uses these frameworks to address two complementary biological questions: how promoter-associated chromatin organization varies across cancer types, and how epigenetic perturbation modulates tumor immunogenicity in …

Drug Repurposing Against Giardia Targeting Lipid Rafts, Extracellular Vesicles, And Sphingolipid Synthesis, Breanna Chantal Pence

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Giardia lamblia is a protozoan parasite responsible for the intestinal disease giardiasis worldwide. Giardia is one of the major intestinal parasites in the world, with over 500,000 new cases annually. Symptoms of giardiasis include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea. Children are particularly vulnerable to giardiasis, with cases of malnutrition, stunted growth, and cognitive impairment in countries where the disease is endemic. Giardia consists of two morphologic forms: an infective cyst which transmits the disease and a motile trophozoite which attaches to the epithelium of the small intestine during infection. Metronidazole is a common treatment for giardiasis, but cases of toxicity …

Determining Zap-70 Signaling Pathways Mediated By Ccr7 In Tcr T Cell Activation, Vivian Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Activation of T lymphocytes is the main event that occurs in the adaptive immune response after engagement of the T cell receptor (TCR) with the peptide of the major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules that are demonstrated by antigen presenting cells [1]. A key step in this process is the recruitment and activation of the zeta chain associated protein of 70 kDa (ZAP-70). ZAP-70 couples TCR engagement to downstream intracellular signaling pathways through phosphorylation of tyrosine residues within intracellular tyrosine activation motifs (ITAMs) [2]. Although there have been extensive studies on the signaling response through TCR activation, the regulatory influence of …

An Investigation Of Entamoeba Histolytica Chitin Synthases And Other Encystation Factors In Early Encystation, John N. Talledo

All Theses

Entamoeba histolytica is a food-and-water-borne human protozoan pathogen that relies on a two-stage life cycle for successful proliferation outside of the host. E. histolytica exists in its dormant cyst form while outside of its host and converts to the motile trophozoite (amoeba) form in the small intestine. The trophozoites colonize the large intestine to cause symptomatic disease in ~10% of infections, resulting in ~100 million cases of amoebic dysentery each year. Trophozoites can convert back to the cyst form, which is shed in feces to continue the infection cycle.

Currently, there is a lack of understanding of the exact molecular …

Understanding The Role Of Toxs As A Bile Sensing Component Of The Toxrs Virulence Regulatory System In Vibrio Spp., Minje Kim

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Pathogenic Vibrio bacteria, such as V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus, colonize in the human small intestine to cause severe gastrointestinal disease. During the infection, these bacteria encounter bile salts, antimicrobial cholesterol metabolites secreted into the intestine. Pathogenic Vibrio species have evolved to utilize bile salts as signals to regulate virulence. The signaling depends in part on ToxRS, a conserved co-component transmembrane transcription regulator. ToxRS consists of the transcription factor ToxR and its membrane-tethered binding partner ToxS. ToxS is required for ToxR stability and full transcriptional activity. Although bile salts are known to influence ToxRS-dependent virulence gene expression, the molecular …

Exploration Of A Relationship Between The Activities Of Trail And 4’-Trifluoromethoxychalcone., Abigail C. Ernst

Undergraduate Theses

Cancer is the overgrowth of dysregulated or mutated cells that affects 1 in 3 Americans. Chalcones are natural products with many possible derivatives, such as 4’-trifluromethoxychalcone (4TF), developed in Dr. Krzysiak’s lab, which exhibit anticancer activity against cancer cell lines. Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) is a tumor surveillance cytokine that acts on two receptor types: death receptors and decoy receptors. One way cancer cells can become resistant to TRAIL is by upregulating decoy receptors and/or downregulating death receptors. In this study, MTS assays evaluated the potential relationship between TRAIL and 4TF that sensitizes A549 cells to TRAIL. The …

Harnessing The Gut-Diet Axis To Enhance Chemotherapy And Immunotherapy, Jill Carline

Bryant REDay (Research and Engagement Day)

The human microbiome, a complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, represents a critical "gut-diet axis" that significantly influences cancer progression and therapeutic efficacy. While a state of homeostasis supports systemic immunity, dysbiosis is linked to chronic inflammation and can actively promote resistance to standard cytotoxic chemotherapies and modern immune checkpoint inhibitors. Specifically, research indicates that Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) promotes resistance to 5-Fluorouracil and Oxaliplatin in colorectal cancer by activating Notch1 receptors to inhibit apoptosis and push cancer cells into a resilient, stem-cell-like state. Conversely, the introduction of fiber-rich and fermented foods can cultivate beneficial bacteria …

Cell-Free Mitochondrial Dna (Mtdna) Triggers Vascular Dysfunction Via Toll-Like Receptor 9 (Tlr9)-Dependent Activation Of Inflammasomes, Mohin Amin

Senior Theses

Hypertension is the leading global risk factor for mortality and is closely associated with vascular inflammation and dysfunction. Damaged mitochondria release cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA), which activates toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). The binding of TLR9 to mtDNA activates the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, promoting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines via gasdermin D (GSDMD), therefore worsening inflammation. However, the mechanisms linking mitochondrial injury to inflammation-induced vascular dysfunction remain unclear. We hypothesize that cf-mtDNA triggers TLR9-dependent NLRP3 inflammasome activation contributing to vascular and endothelial dysfunction. To assess that, adult male C57BL/6 were exposed to 28 consecutive days of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) or …

Evaluation Of Tick-Derived Peptides For Transmission-Blocking Vaccine Candidates, Madelyn Futral

Honors Theses

The lack of effective preventive measures for tick-borne diseases represents a major public health challenge. Transmission-blocking vaccines targeting tick molecules essential for feeding or reproduction could provide a sustainable and broad-spectrum solution. In this study, we evaluated two tick-derived proteins as potential vaccine antigens, subolesin, a key regulator of blood-feeding and cellular processes, and vitellogenin, a protein involved in egg development. Using bioinformatic tools, we identified immunogenic peptide sequences from each protein and chemically conjugated them to virus-like particles (VLPs) to enhance antigen presentation. C57BL/6 mice were immunized intradermally with VLP-peptide conjugates, followed by a booster dose. Blood and spleen …