Faculty
Brian J. Akerley, PhD
 | Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology Program Director (601) 815-1235 |
Research interests
Research in the Akerley lab focuses on the pathogenicity of Haemophilus influenzae, a bacterium that normally colonizes the human nasopharynx asymptomatically yet is a frequent cause of disease because of its ability to spread to other sites including the bloodstream, the middle ear, or the lungs. Asymptomatic colonization involves a balance between bacterial virulence mechanisms that promote infection and host defenses that limit infection. Disease occurs when this balance is disrupted, favoring proliferation and spread of the pathogen. Interactions between H. influenzae and the host are also markedly influenced by co-infecting pathogens such as the influenza A virus, which renders individuals highly susceptible to secondary bacterial pneumonia. Our lab seeks to understand how H. influenzae persists during infection when faced with the host immune response, varying nutrient availability, the normal flora, and co-infecting pathogens.
Selected publications
For a complete list:
Other activities
- Member: American Society for Microbiology, 1992-present.
- Associate Editor: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2015-present
- Editorial Board: Journal of Bacteriology, 2013-16.
- Editorial Board: Infection and Immunity, 2017-20.
- Ad hoc Reviewer, NIH NIAID, NIDCD, and ODCS Study Sections (’02, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’12, ’14, ’15, ‘17), 2002-17.