Felipe H Santiago-Tirado

Robbi was awarded a Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Robbi competes sucessfully for the prestigious F31 fellowship from NIH Figure 1. The potential interactions between microglia…

Here we show that C20 cells behave similarly to primary human microglia from cadavers. And we use the cells to understand new biology related to the cryptococcal-microglia interactions. This is the basis for Robbi's F31 award from NIH. You can read more below. (3/3) fungilab.nd.edu/news/robbi-w...

A figure depicting the potential interactions between microglia and C. neoformans. The top (labeled with the letter A) shows killing of the fungus; the middle panel (B) shows intracellular replication and exocytosis of the fungus; and the bottom panel (C) shows recognition and phagocytosis.

Cryptococcus neoformans is an ubiquitous environmental fungus that we are exposed frequently through inhalation, but the fatal pathology is due to a brain infection. Thus studying the interactions with microglia, the brain's immune cells, is an important but incompletely understood area. (2/3)

Use of a human immortalized microglia cell line to study recognition, phagocytosis, and intracellular survival of Cryptococcus neoformans | mSphere While Cryptococcus neoformans is acquired through inhalation, the fatal pathology of cryptococcal infection occurs when the yeast disseminates to the central nervous system (CNS) and causes cryptococc...

PUBLICATION ALERT: In this latest study from the lab we characterized a human immortalized microglia cell line in terms of cryptococcal-host interactions. We believe this is a powerful new way to study these important interactions and ask mechanistic questions.🧵(1/3) journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Don't miss this fun and informative interview with the great @afloresmireles.bsky.social with the patient advocacy organization Live UTI Free! They talk all the way from marine biology, to good microbes, bad microbes, and UTIs and CAUTIs - a little bit for everyone! Only 30 really enjoyable mins!

Elucidating the Fungal Vacuole's Secrets Work by many undergraduates in the lab, supervised by Pete, is finally out! A model depicting the role of Vac8 in C. neoformans biology. Vac8…

This was the work of many undergraduates in the lab, supervised and led over the years by student-turned-postdoc Pete Stuckey. To learn more about it, see the news article below. Thank you and congratulations to all the authors! fungilab.nd.edu/news/elucida...

The protein is conserved in the fungal kingdom, but almost everything we know about it comes from S. cerevisiae. Relative to baker’s yeast, it seems Vac8 has both similar and unique functions in C. neoformans. Thus, we are happy to have started working on this new fungal cell biology story!

We found that deleting VAC8 causes fragmented vacuoles, and defective vacuolar fusion or enlargement, affecting the biology of the fungus in big ways, including no Titan Cells! Some of the phenotypes were negative, while others, like increased resistance to fluconazole, were surprising!

PUBLICATION ALERT: The latest from the lab is out, on the function of a vacuolar protein in Cryptococcus. Meet Vac8, the vacuolar protein that keeps cryptococcal vacuole in one large piece! This is a small thread on it, but you can find the paper here: www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11....

The catheterized bladder environment promotes Efg1- and Als1-dependent Candida albicans infection A comprehensive investigation of C. albicans pathogenesis reveals critical virulence factors for the catheterized bladder.

Following our initial paper (doi.org/10.1126/scia...) in the new preprint we report the bladder-specific Efg1 regulon promoting C. albicans CAUTI. With the increased incidence of fungal CAUTI and the high mortality of fungal infections, this knowledge is vital for developing new targeted treatments.

Hospital-acquired infections are deadly, and catheter-associated urinary ones (CAUTIs) are the most common. CAUTIs are more challenging when the microbe is/involves a fungus. Fungal CAUTIs are neglected, thus we started this collaboration to shed light on this common but neglected disease. (2/3)

The Unique Efg1 Fungal Virulence Regulon in the Catheterized Bladder Environment Urinary catheterization, a common procedure in hospitals and nursing home facilities, is a primary driver of hospital-acquired infections (HAI). These devices frequently lead to catheter-associated ur...

Preprint alert: the latest from my collaboration with the great @afloresmireles.bsky.social, @shapirorebecca.bsky.social , and Ilse Jacobsen (not in BS). You can find it here: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... A small thread below (1/3)

These stinkbugs coat their eggs in fungi to protect them from parasitic wasps An unusual relationship could shed light on how insects choose their partners

Fungi are everywhere doing everything! So amazing! These stinkbugs coat their eggs in fungi to protect them from parasitic wasps. Read more here: www.science.org/content/arti...

Department of Microbiology | The University of Chicago

UChicago Microbiology is searching for tenured or tenure-track faculty working in host-pathogens interactions, viral and bacterial pathogenesis, and emerging infectious diseases. Come join our vibrant Department! microbiology.uchicago.edu
Apply here apply.interfolio.com/174404

Home - Doctor Fungus Welcome to Doctor Fungus! An Educational Website of theMycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium (MSGERC)   [View Legal Information] Where to Start Mycology Case of the Month An Introducti...

There’s now an app for all things fungi 🦠🍄
Dr. Matthew Pullen, Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, helped launch Dr Fungus—a free app that brings the trusted resource to your phone.

Explore fungal infections, antifungal treatments, and case-based learning—all in one place.

After bizarre journey, prized history of molecular biology archive finds new home Science History Institute makes public multimillion-dollar collection, including Rosalind Franklin’s famous DNA image, assembled by fake scientist

Who said drama is only for Mexican tele-novellas (soap operas). This article has it all! "After bizarre journey, prized history of molecular biology archive finds new home" www.science.org/content/arti...

Now we are receiving the wisdom from NIAID extraordinaire PO Glen McGugan on best practices to obtain NIH funding. Of if two unique opportunities on this year’s #MNID25.

And we’re off with #MNID25 at Case Western Reserve! My student Robbi gave an awesome presentation. Looking forward to all other talks and posters!

I have an R56 that will pay for 1 year of a postdoc that will hopefully bridge us to a 4-year R01. It's not without risk but uh...everything in science feels like a major risk right now. We're in need of a #postdoc w/ #nmr experience. DM or email me for project details.

@notredame.bsky.social

Robbi was awarded a Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (NRSA) from the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Robbi competes sucessfully for the prestigious F31 fellowship from NIH Figure 1. The potential interactions between microglia…

Congratulations to my student Robbi Ross on her award from NIH! Robbi will be working on the host-pathogen interactions between the environmental fungus Cryptococcus and human microglia. Looking forward to all of what you will accomplish Robbi! Congrats! fungilab.nd.edu/news/robbi-w...

New in #G3journal: @hitenmadhani.bsky.social and the team present new methods and strains for high-efficiency homology-dependent genome editing in Cryptococcus neoformans, a budding #yeast that is the most common cause of fungal meningitis in humans.

Read more: buff.ly/dQRKrOJ

Visit to the legendary Woods Hole MOMY course to visit with Mycology trainees and faculty. Awesome to see Andy Alspaugh, Deb Hogan, and Paul Magwene honored for their contributions!
Kudos to Robb Cramer and David Andes for their final year as Course Directors! 🍄‍🟫🧫🧬

The traditional #MOMY25 picture! You guys chose the perfect timing! Not only the company has been fantastic but the weather has been beautiful! Hopefully it will stay like that for the whole course. Thank you David and Robb for inviting me again, it has been wonderful! @mblscience.bsky.social

Fearful of AI-generated grant proposals, NIH limits scientists to six applications per year Some critics of the new policy say the cap could hinder researchers in need of funding

I can see the pros and cons, but to be fair to new PIs, it should not count resubmission. Nowadays you have to submit upwards to 4 or 5 times before you get a fundable score...and that just one application! "NIH limits scientists to six applications per year" www.science.org/content/arti...

An endosymbiotic origin of the crimson pigment from the lac insect | PNAS Symbioses with microorganisms expand the genetic and metabolic repertoire of many insects. The lac insect Kerria lacca (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha) ...

I once visited Mayan ruins in Mexico and was told that is not known how they were able to make such bright blue colors. Also heard the same about bright red ones. It turns out, at least for the red color, a fungus is responsible! Read more here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

"STEM is profoundly shaped by wealth, yet financial privilege is rarely acknowledged... Wealth influences participation, persistence, and recognition in science, affecting not just who enters the pipeline but also who can afford to stay." Interesting article at #PLOS dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

The “Big Beautiful Bill” is Not the Budget! Very interesting short blurb from @ascbiology.bsky.social. www.ascb.org/science-poli...

So much fun talking about my science and activism with Marion and Agnès! Thanks for inviting me!

Pediatric UTIs can shape lifelong urinary health. Join us on July 11 at 9AM New York time for @globalUTI.bsky.social #UTIhour hosted by Dr. Arthika Manoharan to find out how uropathogens cause #UTI and how kids’ immune systems respond.

So, first think about that (hopefully you already knew before applying to grad school!). Second, decide what type of project/skills/techniques will help you achieve them. And what type of mentoring style would be more beneficial to you. That's the lab you want to join! Know yourself first! (3/3).