The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
McGovern Medical School
Department of儿科

链球菌pyogenes(group A链球菌, GAS) is an obligate human pathogen that causes the relatively benign pharyngitis (“strep throat”) but also causes severe, life-threatening diseases such as toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis (“flesh-eating disease”). Most commonly, however, GAS is carried in the throats of humans in the absence of signs or symptoms of disease. In fact, many bacterial pathogens including链球菌pneumoniae,Neisseria meningitidis, andStaphylococcus aureusexist primarily in a carrier state. Despite the commonality of this phenomenon, we understand little of the host-pathogen interaction that leads to a carrier state. Using GAS as a model organism, our goal is to identify key molecular mechanisms that contribute to GAS carriage and thus to pathogenesis. Key areas of interest in the Flores Laboratory include:

Molecular mechanisms that contribute to GAS asymptomatic carriage.A major focus is investigative studies toward understanding gene regulatory mechanisms that contribute to GAS carriage. We have identified mutations in genes critical to GAS gene regulation that are unique to GAS carrier strains. The laboratory seeks to understand the mechanism by which specific mutations alter gene regulation and how gene regulatory differences contribute to a unique GAS carrier phenotype characterized by increased ability to colonize mucosal surfaces and decreased ability to cause disease.

链球菌流行病学和病原体学。实验室的次要重点使用细菌整个基因组测序，以提供有关病原体暴发和流行病的见解。我们有正在进行的气体疾病监测计划，研究了不同细菌临床分离株（例如，马运输和引起疾病的菌株）之间的系统发育差异。最终，这些研究是我们实验室中进行的分子研究的基础。

PubMed

McGovern Medical School Faculty

教育和培训

MD/MPH - University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry - 2006
PhD - University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry - 2004

Research Opportunities

• Seeking PhD Students

Programs

• Microbiology and Infectious Diseases