John Belisle

Dr. Belisle is Professor of Bacteriology. His research focuses on the biochemistry of bacterial pathogens (in particular Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae and Borrelia burgdorferi) and the disease they cause (Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lyme disease). Dr. Belisle has a particular interest in how disease-causing bacteria and their hosts respond to one another at a biochemical level. Research activities in Dr. Belisle’s laboratory have included the purification and characterization of bacterial proteins (including enzymes), lipids, and glycolconjugates; elucidation of biochemical processes; discovery of diagnostic and vaccine antigens; and the definition of specific molecular interactions involving the innate immune response. Most recently, Dr. Belisle has investigated host metabolic responses to identify biochemical pathways altered in response to bacterial infection and disease, and to apply this approach to identify novel biomarkers and biosignatures of disease progression and treatment outcome. Dr. Belisle is a recipient of the prestigious Monfort Professorship at CSU (2003), and the CSU Scholarship Impact Award (2013). His research collaboration on Lyme disease with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was award the James H. Nakano Citation (2016) and CO-LABS 2018 Governor’s Award for High Impact Research.