Current Research

Our laboratory is focused on elucidating the pathogenesis mechanisms of the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus (Af). Af causes invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in immunocompromised patients and hypersensitivity type diseases such as Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis in immunocompetent indivduals. Patients that acquire IPA have often undergone solid organ or bone marrow transplants for various cancers. Patients that acquire invasive Aspergillus infections face a grim prognosis with mortality rates approaching 90% depending on the patient population. Given the degree of similarity between human and fungi, current treatment options for patients are limited. Thus, we urgently need to better understand how Aspergillus fumigatus is able to colonize, infect, and cause disease. To gain this understanding, we utilize molecular biology, functional genomics, bioinformatics, immunology, and animal models to identify genes and biochemical pathways that allow the fungus to cause disease. Currently, we are focusing on two attributes of the fungus that we hypothesize allows it to cause invasive and chronic disease: tolerance to low oxygen conditions found in vivo during infection, and production of a unique carbohydrate (trehalose) that may protect the fungus from environmental stresses found in vivo as well as regulate carbon metabolism. The medical mycology field o is a rapidly expanding field that allows students to explore and learn basic and advanced concepts in infectious disease, molecular biology, immunology, and genomics research.

Recent Publications

1. Kim, K.H., Willger, S.D., Park, S.W., Puttikamonkul, S., Grahl, N., Cho, Y., Mukhopadhyay, B., Cramer, R.A.*, Lawrence, C.B. 2009. TmpL, a transmembrane protein is required for oxidative stress homeostasis and virulence in plant and animal fungal pathogens. PLoS Pathogens, Accepted with minor revision Aug. 14th. *Joint Corresponding Authors.

2. Grahl, N. and Cramer, R.A. 2009. Regulation of hypoxia adaptation: An overlooked virulence attribute of pathogenic fungi? Medical Mycology, 47:1-16.

3. Pinchai, N., Perfect, B.Z., Juvvadi, P.R., Fortwendel, J.R., Cramer, R.A., Asfaw, Y.G., Heitman, J., Perfect, J.R., Steinbach, W.J. 2009. The Aspergillus fumigatus Calcipressin CbpA is involved in hyphal growth and calcium homeostasis. Eukaryotic Cell, 8:511-19.

4. Willger, S.D., Puttikamonkul, S., Kim, K.H., Burritt, J.B., Grahl, N., Metzler, L.J., Barbuch, R., Bard, M., Lawrence, C.B., Cramer, R.A. 2008. A sterol-regulatory element binding protein is required for cell polarity, hypoxia adaptation, azole drug resistance, and virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus. PLoS Pathogens, 4, e1000200.

5. Willger, S.D., Grahl, N., and Cramer, R.A. 2008. Aspergillus fumigatus metabolism: Clues to mechanisms of in vivo fungal growth. Medical Mycology, 47: Suppl 1:S72-9.