Research

Infectious Diseases Research

Basic and clinical research in the Division of Infectious Diseases focuses on the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and the molecular epidemiology (e.g., by whole genome sequencing) of multi-drug resistant bacteria, including the Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics (CARMiG), meningitis, encephalitis, West Nile sequelae, and HIV neurocognitive disorders; clinical and translational research relating to fungal diseases; pathogenesis of enterococci, mechanisms of enterococcal resistance and experimental therapeutics of enterococcal infections; pharmacokinetics of antimicrobial agents; and HIV clinical and translational research.  The latter includes research relating to HIV cure, HIV prevention, and treatment regimens and strategies; management of HIV and antiretroviral therapy-associated comorbidities; strategies to reduce chronic immune activation/inflammation including microbiome research; and research involving special populations of persons living with HIV, including transgender women. Funding sources for this research include the NIH, industry, and philanthropic foundation sponsors.  Trainees have undergraduates, graduate students (support available from a T32 grant), and postdoctoral fellows (MD and PhD).

The Infectious Diseases Division also has strong collaborative relationships with colleagues in other schools and departments that bring together multi-disciplinary research teams to investigate the problems of infectious diseases. One of the most comprehensive cross-collaborative efforts is the Center for Antimicrobial Resistance and Microbial Genomics (CARMiG at www.carmig.net), housed in the Division of Infectious Diseases, with faculty from multiple institutions in Texas and abroad, including the Departments of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Pediatrics, all within the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth; members of the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, Center for Computational Biomedicine, and School of Public Health; and other institutions including Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Houston, Texas A&M University Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, and UT MDA Cancer Center. International sites include Universidad El Bosque, an active research program in Bogota, Colombia, and Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile.