Interdisciplinary Teams

New to CSU and the IDRRN?  Join our co-leads in the co-creation of self-directed interdisciplinary projects that capitalize on your expertise and ideas of interest sparked by joining the conversation. Pandemic Preparedness is only one idea for this IDT. A similar small group meeting in 2019 led to 5 IDTs with focuses based on the scientific connections identified between programs that were further explored and expanded upon.

Co-leads:

• Casey Gries, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Nicole Kelp, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Amanda Woerman, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Zhijie Wang, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)

Members:

• Charlotte Avanzi, Ph.D., PharmD (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Marcela Henao Tamayo, M.D., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Elizabeth Hemming-Schroeder, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Torin Pruneski, Graduate Student Researcher (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

With the rise of machine learning tools for protein structure prediction and design, it is now possible to use computational methods to dramatically accelerate the elucidation of proteins that bind specific targets at specific sites. Similar computational tools have also accelerated progress in cancer research using AI to analyze large publicly available patient tumor data sets, including histology images, genomic data, and clinical records, to identify patterns and biological insights that can improve outcomes through enhancing patient prognostication and therapeutic stratification. Thus, there are numerous ways to harness this new technology and meld these disciplines to combat cancer. Another element of this IDT is the ability to use accurate structure prediction of large proteins and protein complexes to better understand the molecules, interactions, and processes that are potential targets for development of novel cancer therapeutics such as antibody-drug conjugates, chimeric antigen receptors for cell-based therapy, immunocytokines, or PROTAC targeted protein degraders. Join our co-lead experts in the fields of cancer research, metabolic regulators, and computer-guided molecular engineering to develop novel ideas for oncology research and treatment.

Co-leads:

• Chris Snow, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biological Engineering)
• Dan Regan, D.V.M., Ph.D. ( Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Adam Chicco, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)

Members:

• Anne Avery, V.M.D., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Adam Harris, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Marcela Henao Tamayo, M.D., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Torin Pruneski, Graduate Student Researcher (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Kimberly Robins, Graduate Student Researcher (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Emily Rout, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns are resulting in the expansion of infectious diseases into new geographic areas impacting more animals, including humans. Join our co-leads —experts in vector biology, systems biology, population genetics, phylogeography, and wildlife disease ecology— to add your expertise to further the development of strategies to better understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Co-leads: 

• Rushika Perera, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology)
• Jenn Malmberg, D.V.M., Ph.D. (National Wildlife Research Center)
• Toni Piaggio, Ph.D. (USDA)

Members:

• Greg Ebel, Sc.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Colleen Duncan, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Anna Fagre, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Using community-based approaches in science communication to understand the dynamics of trust in different sources of information for emerging science and risk issues.

Co-Leads:

• Ashley Anderson, Ph.D. (Journalism and Media Communication)
• Nicole Kelp, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Jamie Jacobsen, Ph.D. (Journalism and Media Communication)

Members:

• Colleen Duncan, D.V.M. Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Marilee Long, Ph.D. (Journalism and Media Communication, Environmental Affairs)
• Candace Mathiason, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Gaya Sivakumar, Ph.D. (Journalism and Media Communication)
• Sue VandeWoude, D.V.M. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome is a well-documented syndrome in older canines and has recently been gaining recognition in the senior feline population. Diagnosis and treatment remain elusive. We are working to establish a standardized method for diagnosis, as well as treatment options for this syndrome.

Lead: Julie Moreno, Ph.D. (Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences)

Members:

• Lisa Bartner, D.V.M. (Clinical Sciences)
• Steve Dow, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Colleen Duncan, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Nicole Ehrhart, V.M.D. (Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging)
• Andrew Jones, Ph.D. (Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere)
• Lori Kogan, Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Nicole Kruh-Garcia, Ph.D. (BioMARC)
• Doreen Martinez, Ph.D. (Ethnic Studies)
• Candace Mathiason, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Stephanie McGrath, D.V.M. (Clinical Sciences)
• Rebecca Packer, D.V.M. (Clinical Sciences)
• Stuart Tobet, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
• Craig Webb, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Tracy Webb, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)

The recognition of novel pathogens with capacity to cross the species barriers has once again become evident with the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Research established to understand these events from a multi-pronged interdisciplinary perspective will advance our understanding of this and future disease emergence.

COVID-19 Efforts of MIP Faculty & Collaborators in the IDRRN

Lead: Candace Mathiason, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Members:

• Zaid Abdo, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Ramesh Akkina, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Randy Basaraba, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Angela Bosco-Lauth, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
• Richard Bowen, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
• Adam Chicco, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
• Hamid Chitsaz, Ph.D. (Computer Science)
• Lyndah Chow, M.S. (Clinical Sciences)
• David Dandy, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biological Engineering)
• Gregg Dean, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Karen Dobos, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Steve Dow, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Colleen Duncan, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Greg Ebel, Sc.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Brian Edwards (Google)
• Nicole Ehrhart, V.M.D. (Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging)
• Robert Ellis, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Brian Foy, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Danielle Frey, D.V.M. (College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)
• Ray Goodrich, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Brian Geiss, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Marcela Henao-Tamayo, M.D., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Chuck Henry, Ph.D. (Chemistry)
• Mary Jackson, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Andrew Jones, Ph.D. (Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere)
• Rebekah Kading, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Michael Kirby, Ph.D. (Mathematics)
• Nicole Kruh-Garcia, Ph.D. (BioMarc)
• Hannah Love, Ph.D. (Science of Team Science, Institute for Research in Social Sciences)
• Amy MacNeill, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Sheryl Magzamen, M.P.H., Ph.D. (Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences)
• Christie Mayo, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Juan Munoz Guttierez, M.V.Z., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Andres Obregon Henao, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Kristy Pabalonia, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Diagnostics – Veterinary Health Systems)
• Rushika Perera, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Brendan Podell, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Dan Regan, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Joel Rovnak, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Elizabeth Ryan, Ph.D. (Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences)
• Tony Schountz, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Richard Slayden, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Chris Snow, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biological Engineering)
• Mark Stenglein, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Ron Tjalkens, Ph.D. (Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences)
• Sue VandeWoude, D.V.M. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Allison Vilander, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Zhijie Wang, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)

The development of ultrasensitive disease detection systems is paramount to improve inclusive treatment of infectious diseases around the globe. Join this interdisciplinary team of experts to further explore uses and advantages of their established simple, inexpensive microfluidic sensors for diagnostic and prognostic applications.

Co-leads:

• David Dandy, Ph.D. (Chemical and Biological Engineering)
• Chuck Henry, Ph.D. (Chemistry)
• Brian Geiss, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Members:

• Charlotte Avanzi, Ph.D., Pharm.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Greg Ebel, Sc.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Torin Pruneski, Graduate Student Researcher (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Chris Snow, Ph.D. (Chemical & Biological Engineering)

Unraveling the complex interplay between microbiome communities present within the host and their environments is paramount to public health.  Join our co-leads in the development of interdisciplinary research collaborations to fill knowledge gaps leading to advanced understanding of host:microbial interactions and their impact on infectious disease outcomes.

Co-leads:

• Naomi Ward, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Jessica Metcalf, Ph.D. (Animal Sciences)

Members:

• Lyndah Chow, Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Steve Dow, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Greg Ebel, Sc.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)
• Francesca Lerner, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Alison Manchester, D.V.M (Clinical Sciences)
• Kate Vickery, V.M.D (Clinical Sciences)

A definitive role for the prion protein remains elusive. We are capitalizing on unexpected properties recognized in affected cells to explore novel strategies to increase the response of cancer cells to certain therapeutic drugs.

Lead: Dan Regan, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

Members:

• Lyndah Chow, Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Steve Dow, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Soham Ghosh, Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering)
• Hannah Love, Ph.D. (Science of Team Science, Institute for Research in Social Sciences)
• Candace Mathiason, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)

The ability to fully characterize the immune response to infectious agents in certain animal models (bats, guinea pigs, deer, etc.) is hampered by a lack of reagents. To overcome this hurdle, we aim to generate highly sensitive and specific targeted mass spectrometry assays to detect and quantify immune proteins in complex matrices such as biological fluids and tissue homogenates.

Lead: Nicole Kruh-Garcia, Ph.D. (BioMarc)

Members:

• Steve Dow, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Clinical Sciences)
• Tony Schountz, Ph.D. (Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology)