Members of the Goldberg Lab

P.I.	Post-Docs	Undergrads
	Grad Students	Lab Specialist

P.I.
Joanna's Page	Joanna B. Goldberg, Ph.D. -- goldberg@virginia.edu Research Publications Education
Post-Docs
	Preston Garcia, Ph.D. -- ppg3c@virginia.edu I am working on two specific projects related to the bacteria Burkholderia cepacia complex. One project involves constructing a strain to image the bacteria in mice through the entire infectious process without the need to sacrifice using the In Vivo Imaging System (IVIS). I will also be working on constructing and characterizing a vaccine to B. cenocepacia based on the expression of the lipopolysaccharide O antigen.
Grad Students
	Mike Davis -- mrd5f@virginia.edu My current research focus is on identifying the mutation(s) that are responsible for the LPS-smooth to LPS-rough transition that occurs during chronic infection in strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from lung infections in cystic fibrosis patients. I am also performing sequence analysis the O antigen loci from strains of two different genera, P. aeruginosa and Burkholderia stabilis, which interestingly enough have the same O antigen strcutures. Preliminary bioinformatic analysis indicates that these loci are not identical.
	Erica Kintz -- enk9j@virginia.edu I'm working on the regulation of LPS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I am currently testing mutants of genes believed to be involved in LPS production to see their effects on O-antigen chain length. I am also looking at promoter activity of genes located within the O-antigen locus of P. aeruginosa.
	George Liechti -- gwl2c@virginia.edu I work with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, a causative agent of gastritis, duodenal ulceration, and gastric cancer. I am currently investigating similarities between the outer membrane biogenesis pathways of Escherichia coli, Neisseria meningitidis, and H. pylori as well as the roles these pathways play in membrane permeability and pH susceptibility. I am also interested in the numerous alterations H. pylori makes on its lipopolysaccharide that allow it to evade the host's immune system.
	Josh Owings -- jpo7x@virginia.edu My project involves the characterization of a normally cytoplasmic protein, elongation factor Tu, which is modified by phosphorylcholine and associated with the surface of the opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its interaction with airway epithelial cells. The goal of my project is to define the pathway for the biosynthesis of the modified protein and its regulation as well as its role in infection.
	Jennifer Scarff -- jms5ez@virginia.edu My research focuses on determining the mechanism of protection of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa that is an attenuated Salmonella strain expressing the O antigen locus of P. aeruginosa. I am utilizing immunocompromised mouse models and other immune system manipulations, to determine which cell types are required for developing the immune response and responding to challenge. I am investigating both active and passive vaccination strategies in these mouse models, as well as using the same in a cystic fibrosis mouse model.
Undergrads
	Marc Schulman -- mds9u@virginia.edu I am a rising fourth-year currently pursuing the Distinguished Majors Program in Human Biology. The goal of my research is to develop a multivalent Pseudomonas aeruginosa LPS vaccine and determine whether it confers protection to bacteria of different O-antigen serotypes in mice. After completing my studies here at UVA, I plan to attend medical school and pursue a career that combines direct patient care with public health work.
Senior Laboratory Specialist
	Brian Hall -- bdh6n@virginia.edu I am studying the expression and secretion of an extracellular adhesin protein of Burkholderia cenocepacia that promotes binding to mucosa and lung epithelial cells. The goals of this project are to deduce how this protein is processed and secreted. This will be accomplished by inactivating genes downstream of the adhesin gene, putatively encoding a secretion apparatus and following expression and the cellular localization of the adhesin protein.

Last modified: April 17, 2009 For more information: goldberg@virginia.edu