Where is your hometown? 

Born in Arlington Heights, IL. Have lived in Illinois, New Jersey and Iowa (high school in Bettendorf, IA and college in Ames, IA)

What are your research interests?

Infectious diseases (esp. malaria and other human infections prominent in the developing world).  Immunology (esp. to chronic infections).  The links between health and economic welfare, poverty and development.  All things related to Africa.

What exciting project are you working on? 

Development of a common drug (the beta-blocker propranolol) into an antimalarial therapy.  My work showed that propranolol blocks beta-adrenergic signaling pathways in the human red blood cell, and I proved that these pathways are required for the malaria parasite to enter and grow within red cells.  I was able to combine propranolol with “conventional” anti-parasite drugs (i.e., chloroquine or artemisinin) and could use much lower concentrations (10Xs less) of the anti-parasite drugs to achieve an effective dose in culture and animal models of infection.  Thus, this approach may help to reduce the evolution of drug resistance against anti-parasite drugs, which is a major problem in the field.  In addition, because propranolol targets a host target that cannot mutate (malaria parasites infect anucleated red cells), propranolol itself may also be more impervious to resistance.  This approach is unique in that we are pioneering an anti-host plus anti-microbe approach for the treatment of an important infectious disease.

What attracted you to the NU-FSM Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and Integrated Graduate Program in the Life Sciences (IGP)? 

I was interested in malaria for several years prior to arriving here.  Therefore, the work coming out of Kasturi Haldar’s lab was a major attraction to Northwestern.  Dr. Haldar has a great lab from both professional and personal points of view.  It’s a genuinely enjoyable to study and work on a critical health problem.  In addition, I sensed that Dr. Haldar’s mentorship would allow me to develop fully as a physician-scientist.  She truly has the best interests of her students at heart at all times and is a marvelous teacher and colleague.  In addition to the strong research reputation (throughout the entire Northwestern program - FSM, MSTP and IGP) there are ample opportunities to personalize your curriculum, which was critical to my academic plan. 

What has been the best experience so far? 

My favorite experience during my PhD research was when Dr. Haldar and I traveled to southern Malawi to participate in a “brainstorming” meeting on cerebral malaria.  Not only did our participation spark new ideas for the group (our molecular/cellular biology research perspective differed from the pathologists who dominated the meeting), but it also resulted in a major review on the pathogenesis of cerebral malaria and offered me some first-hand experience in a malarious region.  This trip even led to my planned return to Malawi (with my family in tow in March 2008!) to obtain some clinical tropical medicine training and participate in the malaria field work firsthand.

How would you describe the faculty at FSM? 

Dynamic and collegial.  My work has largely depended on collaborations both within and outside our institution.  Whenever I approached another FSM/IGP faculty member, they were generally eager and willing to participate in our studies and provide expertise and advice.  I think that this spirit of collaboration is key in the increasingly complex world of biomedical research and we do an excellent job in that regard. 

What are your plans for after graduation? 

Residency training in clinical pathology (location to be determined in March) coupled with ongoing post-doctoral research (likely focused on immunity to malaria).

Anything else you'd like to add? 

We have beautiful clinical and basic research facilities.  I recently finished traveling around the country to interview for various residency positions.  Our hospital and affiliated downtown research buildings are among the nicest facilities in the country.  I didn’t fully realize that until I went to a dozen or so other places.