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Faculty
developmental and regenerative sciences

DRS PhD Program Faculty

Core Faculty

Core Faculty in the DRS PhD program are those at the UTSA Main Campus in whose labs DRS students can pursue doctoral dissertation research.

developmental and regenerative sciences
Alfonso Apicella, PhD
Associate Professor
alfonso.apicella@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative sciences
Lacy Barton, PhD
Assistant Professor
lacy.barton@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative sciences
Eric Brey, PhD
Professor
eric.brey@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative sciences
Anthony Burgos-Robles, PhD
Assistant Professor
anthony.burgos-robles@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Erika Tatiana Camacho, PhD
Professor
erika.camacho@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Astrid Cardona, PhD
Professor
astrid.cardona@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative sciences
Melanie Carless, PhD
Associate Professor
melanie.carless@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative sciences
Thomas Forsthuber, MD, PhD
Professor
thomas.forsthuber@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative sciences
Doug Frantz, PhD
Professor
doug.frantz@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
T. Chris Gamblin, PhD
Professor
truman.gamblin@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Maria A. Gonzalez Porras, PhD
Assistant Professor
maria.gonzalezporras@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
Teja Guda, PhD
Associate Professor
teja.guda@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
Brian Hermann, PhD
Professor
brian.hermann@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
Jenny Hsieh, PhD
Professor
jenny.hsieh@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
ChiungYu Hung, PhD
Associate Professor
chiungyu.hung@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
Hyoung-gon Lee, PhD
Associate Professor
hyoung-gon.lee@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Annie Lin, PhD
Associate Professor
annie.lin@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
developmental and regenerative biology
Lindsey Macpherson, PhD
Assistant Professor
lindsey.macpherson@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
John McCarrey, PhD
Professor
john.mccarrey@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
Stanton McHardy, PhD
Associate Professor
stanton.mchardy@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
Christopher Navara, PhD
Professor of Research
christopher.navara@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
George Perry, PhD
Professor
george.perry@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA developmental and regenerative sciences
Christopher Rathbone, PhD
Assistant Professor
chris.rathbone@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA developmental and regenerative sciences
Fidel Santamaria, PhD
Professor
fidel.santamaria@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA developmental and regenerative sciences
Francesco Savelli, PhD
Assistant Professor
francesco.savelli@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA developmental and regenerative sciences
Janakiram Seshu, PhD
Professor
j.seshu@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Marina Augusto Silveira, PhD
Assistant Professor
marina.silveira@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Gongchen Sun, PhD
Assistant Professor
gongchen.sun@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Alexey Soshnev, PhD
Assistant Professor
alexey.soshnev@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Jeffrey Vedanayagam, PhD

Assistant Professor
jeffrey.vedanayagam@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA developmental and regenerative sciences
Matthew Wanat, PhD
Associate Professor
matthew.wanat@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA developmental and regenerative sciences
Yufeng Wang, PhD
Professor
yufeng.wang@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Marissa Wechsler, PhD
Assistant Professor
marissa.wechsler@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS

Adjoint Faculty – Texas Biomedical Research Institute

Adjoint Faculty in the DRS PhD Program are those at institutions or installations other than the UTSA campus in whose labs DRS students can pursue doctoral dissertation research.

Corinna Ross, PhD
Adjoint Professor
cross@txbiomed.org
RESEARCH INTERESTS

Adjoint Faculty – US Army Institute of Surgical Research

Andrew Cap, MD, PhD
Adjoint Professor
andrew.p.cap.mil@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Daniel N. Darlington, PhD
Adjoint Professor
daniel.n.darlington.civ@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Michael Adam Meledeo, PhD
Adjoint Professor
michael.a.meledeo.civ@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Kristin Reddoch-Cardenas, PhD
Adjoint Associate Professor
kristin.m.cardenas2.civ@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Alan J. Weaver, Jr., PhD
Adjoint Assistant Professor
alan.j.weaver3.ctr@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Xiaowu Wu, MD, MMS
Adjoint Associate Professor
xiaowu.wu.civ@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Lusha Xiang, MD
Adjoint Associate Professor
lusha.xiang.civ@health.mil
RESEARCH INTERESTS

Affiliate Faculty

Affiliate Faculty in the DRS PhD program are those at the UTSA Main Campus who are not currently accepting dissertation students but who can serve on dissertation committees.

UTSA PhD programs
Gary Gaufo, PhD
Associate Professor
gary.gaufo@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
Howard Grimes, PhD
Professor
howard.grimes@cymanii.org
RESEARCH INTERESTS
David Jaffe, PhD
Professor
david.jaffe@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
Richard LeBaron, PhD
Professor
richard.lebaron@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
Robert Renthal, PhD
Professor
robert.renthal@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
UTSA PhD programs
Charles Wilson, PhD
Professor
charles.wilson@utsa.edu
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Apply Now

Applications for Fall 2025 admission into the DRS PhD Program are now open!
Priority Application Deadline for Fall 2025 admission is November 1, 2024 for consideration for fee waivers and/or additional financial incentives. The Final Deadline for all applications has been extended to December 15, 2024.

Apply Now
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developmental and regenerative sciences
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One UTSA Circle San Antonio, TX 78249

Information: (210) 458-6568

Graduate Advisor of Record

brian.hermann@utsa.edu

Program Administrator

marina.gonzalez@utsa.edu

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Alfonso Apicella, PhD

Associate Professor

alfonso.apicella@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Apicella’s lab is centered on the neural basis of perception and how discriminating between auditory signals of different affective values is critical for survival and ensures the success of social interactions. Dr. Apicella’s lab seeks to understand exactly how cortical microcircuits process sensory information to drive behavior. To assess how populations of neurons concur to encode information, generate perceptions, and execute behavioral decisions requires working at both the cellular and system levels. Toward this goal, by turning neurons “ON” and “OFF” using optogenetic and pharmacogenetic approaches, the lab can monitor and then manipulate specific subsets of neurons in awake-behaving mice. This approach will allow the lab to quantitatively determine how specific subsets of neurons con-tribute to sensory processing and behavior. By complementing in vivo work with synaptic connectivity and network dynamics analysis in vitro, they will achieve a more complete understanding of how neural circuits in our brain support sensation, action, and cognition.

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Lacy Barton, PhD

Assistant Professor

lacy.barton@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Barton’s lab is centered on fertility and health of the next generation, which depend on proper development and protection of the germ line. The Barton Lab’s research mission is to understand factors that support reproductive development, with a special focus on embryonic germ cells. The lab investigates pre-gonadal germ cell development and how it is coordinated by surrounding tissues using Drosophila, cell culture, and mouse model systems. To gain mechanistic insights, the Barton Lab uses a variety of experimental approaches including classic and cutting-edge genetic manipulations, whole animal fixed and live imaging, transcriptomics, as well as ex vivo migration and survival assays. The Barton Lab strives to conduct this research in an inclusive and welcoming environment that prioritizes career development.

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Eric Brey, PhD

Professor

eric.brey@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Brey’s lab is centered on the fields of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine and biomaterials. Specifically, we are investigating new biomaterial approaches for engineering vascularized tissues. We are also investigating novel imaging methods for analysis and monitoring of engineered tissues. Our research has received support from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Veterans Administration and industry collaborators. In addition to research, I have a significant interest in engineering education, specifically in the area of undergraduate research and its influence on education and career trajectories.

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Anthony Burgos-Robles, PhD

Assistant Professor

anthony.burgos-robles@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Burgos’s lab is centered on the development of mouse models to investigate the neural correlates of psychiatric diseases associated to fear, stress, and emotional trauma. Particular interest is given to identify novel neurophysiological mechanisms in limbic regions of the brain, including the hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex. Methodologies include in vivo neuronal recordings, viral-mediated transduction, optogenetic and chemogenetic approaches for neuronal manipulations, immunohisto-chemistry, and fluorescence imaging. Current main projects focus on the assessment of: 1) Dynamic processes for the differentiation of threat and safety in the environment; 2) Regulation of behavioral flexibility and avoidance during imminent threat; 3) Mechanisms promoting and controlling social phobia; 4) The impact of psychological stressors to promote mental disease states. New lines of research will also explore individual differences in stress impact and behavior.

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Erika Tatiana Camacho, PhD

Endowed Distinguished Professor

erika.camacho@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Camacho’s laboratory focuses on mathematically modeling and investigating both the healthy and diseased retinas at the cellular and molecular levels. Her work and interest centers on 1) the metabolic needs of cones in the absence of rods, before, during and after degeneration and retinal remodeling, 2) aerobic glycolysis and oxidative stress pathways in photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium, 3) metabolic pathways implicated in photoreceptor degeneration, and 4) immune response in retinal degenerative diseases.  In her earliest publication in this area, her work predicted the existence of a necessary mechanism experimentally discovered a year later – the rod-derived cone viability factor (RdCVF) and proposed equations describing the dynamics of the rod and cone outer segments and the RPE cells.  

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Astrid Cardona, PhD

Professor

astrid.cardona@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Cardona’s lab is centered on understanding the mechanisms of tissue damage in Multiple Sclerosis and Diabetic retinopathy. 1) Clarifying the protective and detrimental roles of the innate immune system, 2) Determining the origin of tissues injury and factors that account for disease progression and 3) Testing neuroprotective therapies via modulation of innate immune cell function.

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Melanie Carless, PhD

Associate Professor

melanie.carless@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Carless’s lab is centered on identifying genetic and epigenetic factors associated with complex diseases, and in understanding how these might contribute to disease risk and be leveraged as potential novel therapies. She is particularly interested in how epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, DNA hydroxymethylation, and microRNAs contribute to gene regulation, and consequently risk for metabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes and obesity) and neurological and psychiatric diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). To accomplish this, her laboratory employs a range of approaches, including cohort-based studies, post-mortem tissue analysis, animal models and cell-based systems, as well as cutting-edge technologies, including stem cell and organoid applications, next-generation sequencing and epigenetic editing using the CRISPR/dCas9 system.

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Thomas Forsthuber, MD, PhD

Professor

thomas.forsthuber@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Forsthuber’s lab is centered on the manner in which the erroneous activation of the immune system can lead to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Forsthuber’s lab pursues several lines of investigation to understand how the immune system, in particular T cells, contribute to autoimmune diseases and how to modulate T cell immunity for therapeutic purposes in humans. Specifically, he studies immune mechanisms in the central nervous system in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model for MS. Moreover, Dr. Forsthuber studies human autoimmune heart disease in a model called experimental autoimmune myocarditis. His research is aimed toward direct applicability to human diseases, for example by developing novel drugs for autoimmune diseases and biomarkers to monitor the efficacy of treatments for autoimmune diseases.

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Doug Frantz, PhD

Professor

doug.frantz@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Frantz’s lab is centered on the application and development of new synthetic methodology in organic chemistry that can provide new avenues of chemical reactivity while keeping practicality as a viable and equally important goal. Many of the reactions we develop are mediated by late-transition metals catalysts that are fine-tuned through the use of real-time quantitative techniques allowing us to rapidly screen new reactions and parameters with unparalleled efficiency in academia. Furthermore, my lab is also involved with several medicinal chemistry programs aimed at developing new small molecule probes toward studying the mechanisms of stem cell differentiation. Students in my lab learn techniques in synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry and drug discovery and development.

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T. Chris Gamblin, PhD

Professor

truman.gamblin@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Gamblin’s lab is centered on the mechanisms that lead to the aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Tau is a protein that is important in neuronal function, but can misfold and aggregate into pathological structures that accumulate in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. Our approach is to combine small biological molecules with variants of tau protein to induce the aggregation of a wide array of filamentous structures in vitro. Filament structures are characterized using biochemical techniques including cryoEM. We use these approaches to better understand the effects of modifications of tau on its aggregation; to identify potential therapeutics to slow, stop, or reverse tau aggregation; and to identify other biological factors that may influence tau aggregation in disease.

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Maria A. Gonzalez Porras, PhD

Assistant Professor

maria.gonzalezporras@utsa.edu

My biomedical engineering and physiology research expertise focuses on integrating the areas of physiology, stem cell biology and bioengineering to develop cell targeted therapeutic systems for adipose tissue cells. My research interests lie in using multidisciplinary strategies to gain a better understanding of the cellular and microenvironmental conditions fundamental to the pathophysiology and therapy of adipose tissue dysfunctions in cancer and obesity.

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Teja Guda, PhD

Associate Professor

teja.guda@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Guda’s lab is centered on matrix mechanics to drive biomaterials translation for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. Current interests are focused on developing regenerative strategies for bone and skeletal muscle tissue engineering. We are specifically interested in the 3D architectures of porous materials, the use of biophysical stimulation using bioreactors and the use of micro computed tomography as a modeling tool. Specific applications being developed in the lab include hydroxyapatite ceramics for bone, vascularization in hydrogels for bone and skeletal muscle, composite structures for laryngeal reconstruction, bioreactors developed for ligament and dental restorative research and organoid evaluation for salivary gland and pediatric cancer drug discovery.

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Brian Hermann, PhD

Professor

brian.hermann@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Hermann’s laboratory is centered on mammalian male germline development and maintenance. The lab has a particular focus on the regulation of specification and fate of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), the stem cells responsible for sperm production in the mammalian testis which are essential for male fertility. Ongoing studies in the lab are focused on 1) how the pool of SSCs forms during testicular development; 2) understanding how SSC fate decisions are regulated (self-renewal vs. differentiation); 3) use of SSCs to treat male infertility, 4) development of novel male contraceptives, and 5) leveraging the male germline for transgenesis in nonhuman primates. The lab’s work has potential implications for basic stem cell biology, reproduction, as well as translational significance for treatment and prevention of male infertility.

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Jenny Hsieh, PhD

Professor

jenny.hsieh@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Hsieh’s laboratory is centered on understanding the mechanisms underlying neural development and adult neurogenesis. Working primarily in mouse models and in vitro systems such as patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, the Hsieh lab studies the function of genes involved in epilepsy disorders. We study mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common intractable epilepsy in adults, the genetic epilepsies, a group of rare neurodevelop-mental disorders characterized by early onset seizures. We also collaborate with labs to study the role of genes that contribute to hyperexcitability in early- and late-onset degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. The goal of the Hsieh lab is to find ways to target abnormal functions of genes in developmental and degenerative conditions.

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ChiungYu Hung, PhD

Associate Professor

chiungyu.hung@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Hung’s lab is centered on host-pathogen interactions, specifically host immunity to fungal infections with Coccidioides species. These fungi are known to live in the soil in the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico and Central and South America. An estimated 150,000 people in the United States become infected with Coccidioides annually. VF is typically transmitted by inhalation of airborne spores of Coccidioides spp. The most common clinical presentation of coccidioidomycosis is pulmonary disease while dissemination of infection to skin, bone, and central nerve system can occur. Patients who present with severe acute pneumonia, chronic pulmonary VF, and disseminated coccidioidomycosis require antifungal therapy, which is potentially life-long with currently available drugs. There is an urgent and unmet need to develop better chemotherapies and a vaccine against Coccidioides infection.

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Hyoung-gon Lee, PhD

Associate Professor

hyoung-gon.lee@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Lee’s lab is centered on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and peripheral neuropathy. Specific interests include the 1) pathological role and molecular mechanism of cell cycle re-entry in Alzheimer’s disease and peripheral neuropathy, 2) molecular mechanism of dysregulation of neuronal insulin signaling and its pathological role in Alzheimer’s disease, 3) development of novel therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer’s disease and peripheral neuropathy. His lab uses various advanced molecular and biochemical experimental tools such as immunohistochemistry, immunoblot, qRT-PCR, RNAseq, and live cell imaging. Experimental systems include transgenic mouse models, somatic transgenesis using AAV vectors, cell culture, and post-mortem human tissues.

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Annie Lin, PhD

Associate Professor

annie.lin@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Lin’s lab is centered on cell fate regulation in human health and diseases with focus on the intersection of stem cells and cancer biology. The ongoing projects seek to understand what extent stem and progenitor cells become cancer-initiating cells. Thus, the lab’s work has potential implications for basic stem cell and cancer biology as well as translational significance for treatment and prevention of diseases.

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Lindsey Macpherson, PhD

Assistant Professor

lindsey.macpherson@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Macpherson’s lab is centered on investigating the connectivity and plasticity of peripheral sensory circuits, especially for taste and oral/facial somatosensation. The lab primarily uses mouse models to genetically manipulate, label, trace, and monitor the activity of taste receptor cells and peripheral sensory neurons in vivo. Specific techniques include in vivo calcium imaging, intravital 2-photon microscopy, GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners (GRASP), CRISPR knock-in/knock-out, immuno/in-situ fluorescence, RNA-seq, and behavioral analysis. Research questions include: 1) Coding: How is chemosensory/somatosensory information encoded by peripheral sensory neurons? 2) Connectivity: What are the synaptic partners of specific taste receptor cell types? 3) Dynamics: How do gustatory fibers and taste synapses change during taste cell turnover? 4) Plasticity: How do drugs, age, disease, or diet affect peripheral sensory neuron connectivity and function?

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John McCarrey, PhD

Professor

john.mccarrey@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. McCarrey’s lab is centered on the development, differentiation, and epigenetic regulation of mammalian germ cells and stem cells, and on the role of the epigenome as a mediator of environmental effects. Experimental systems include mice, nonhuman primates and humans. Methodologies include bulk and single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling, cell sorting, cell culture, transgenesis, immunocytochemistry and immunohisto-chemistry. Specific interests include 1) regulation of gene expression and epigenetic programming in germ cells and stem cells, 2) specification of spermatogonial stem cell fate, 3) maintenance of enhanced genetic integrity in germline and pluripotent cells, and 4) the potential for adverse lifestyles (e.g. poor diet, lack of exercise) or environmental exposures (e.g. disruptive chemicals) to induce disease-causing epimutations in a male’s sperm that are transmitted to his offspring.

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Stanton McHardy, PhD

Associate Professor

stanton.mchardy@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. McHardy’s lab is centered on medicinal chemistry research in the design, synthesis and development of small molecule compounds across multiple therapeutic disease areas. Currently funded programs are focused on the development of novel small molecules for breast, ovarian, and brain cancers, metabolic diseases, Schistosomiasis, biofilm inhibition, and dengue virus. The lab also focuses on the development of new synthetic methodologies for the synthesis of drug-like compounds and natural products.

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Christopher Navara, PhD

Professor of Research

christopher.navara@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Navara’s lab is centered on the cellular biology of pluripotent stem cells. The repeated clinical failures of therapies for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease indicate the need for additional preclinical models of these complex conditions. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive degenerative disease resulting in the loss of nerve cells in the brain. Samples from human patients are difficult to obtain and animal models may not faithfully mimic the disease. Using human pluripotent stem cells, Dr. Navara’s research group makes human nerve cells from Parkinson’s patients, tests their biology to better understand the disease, and tests new potential therapies that may slow or stop its progression.

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George Perry, PhD

Professor

george.perry@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Perry’s lab is centered on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) which is the sixth leading cause of death and affects one in every 10 individuals aged 65 or older in the United States. In AD, we demonstrated free radicals increase that can cripple and kill cells within the brain causing dementia. Dr. Perry’s studies show how cells in the brain respond to the presence of these free radicals.  Looking at how the cells react is like looking through a window into the disease. Dr. Perry is currently working to determine the mechanism underlying the increased amount of free radicals and what leads to the cellular damage they cause. Understanding how the brain’s cells respond to free radicals is critical to interrupting the progress of the disease and lead to new treatments.

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Christopher Rathbone, PhD

Assistant Professor

chris.rathbone@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Rathbone’s lab is centered on developments in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine that have the potential to dramatically improve outcomes for a wide variety of diseases and injuries. In particular, stem cell-based therapies have been successful in this realm, however, the development of a sufficient vascular supply limits their full potential. Broadly speaking, I am interested in improving the regeneration of tissue by utilizing tissue-engineering based strategies whereby vascular structures and stem cells are used in conjunction with scaffolds and growth factors. Previous experience working in government and industry research provided a valuable perspective on the need to make scientific advancements a clinical reality.

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Fidel Santamaria, PhD

Professor

fidel.santamaria@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Santamaria’s lab is centered on the hundreds of neuron types in the brain which each have unique shape and complexity. Specialization of shape suggests that neuronal geometry is critical to the function of each cell circuit. Dr. Santamaria combines theory, computation and experiments to study how structure affects integration of electrical and biochemical intracellular signals. His work spans studies from nanoscopic volumes within a single dendritic spines to entire neurons.

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Francesco Savelli, PhD

Assistant Professor

francesco.savelli@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Savelli’s lab is centered on how neurons of the hippocampal formation process information. One high-level function concerns the use of perceptual information of external landmarks (e.g., from the visual system) and the internal sense of motion (e.g., from the vestibular or motor systems) to dynamically create your sense of location relative to a mental map of the surrounding environment. Neurons of the hippocampal formation such as place cells, grid cells, and boundary cells appear to participate in this function. Experimental and computational work in the laboratory is motivated by several broad questions: 1) What role exactly these cells have in the computations that are necessary for creating the map and for updating your sense of location; 2) How subcortical regions participate in this process; and 3) How all this relates to other types of cognitive abstractions that the hippocampal formation creates beyond maps (e.g., of time, or of autobiographical memories).

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Janakiram Seshu, PhD

Professor

j.seshu@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Seshu’s lab is centered on Lyme Disease which is the most prevalent arthropod-borne infectious disease in the US. Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, and is transmitted to humans (and to other mammals) by the bite of infected Ixodes scapularis ticks. Our specific research interests include the following: 1) regulation of gene expression in B. burgdorferi, 2) host-pathogen interactions of B. burgdorferi leading to Lyme disease, 3) metabolic control of virulence potential of B. burgdorferi in mammals/ticks, and 4) effects of specific inhibitors of borrelial metabolism in ticks/mammals. Dr. Seshu’s lab also studies Q fever which is caused by Coxiella burnetii – an intracellular pathogen. Our specific research interests include the following: 1) modification of C. burnetii antigens to enhance protective T cell response, generation of deletion mutants for study intracellular trafficking kinetics, and 3) effects of C. burnetii on biogenesis/functions of sub-cellular compartments.

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Marina Augusto Silveira, PhD

Assistant Professor

marina.silveira@utsa.edu

Neuromodulators shape the organization, function, and computations of neuronal circuits. The overall goal of the Silveira Laboratory is to understand how neuromodulation impacts sound processing in the brain. In the central auditory pathway, most auditory pathways converge in the inferior colliculus (IC), which is localized in the auditory midbrain. The IC is extremely important for hearing, as damage to the IC leads to major impairments in speech comprehension and sound localization. Interestingly, the IC receives several neuromodulatory inputs, however how neuromodulators shape auditory processing in the IC and how neuromodulatory inputs to the IC change after hearing loss is largely unknown. In our lab we use in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology, optogenetics and anatomy to understand how neuromodulation impacts auditory computations in the auditory midbrain and how midbrain circuits change after hearing loss.

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Gongchen Sun, PhD

Assistant Professor

gongchen.sun@utsa.edu

The Sun lab designs microdevices to study electrokinetics and transport phenomena in non-equilibrium microsystems. Our approaches include microfluidics, additive manufacturing, electrochemical techniques, and engineering living systems (organisms and cells). We further apply our technologies to address critical challenges in bio/chemical sensing, regenerative medicine, molecular biology, and water treatment. 

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Alexey Soshnev, PhD

Assistant Professor

alexey.soshnev@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Soshnev’s lab is centered on the manner in which information in eukaryotic DNA is interpreted, modified, and propagated as chromatin – a complex of nucleic acids and proteins. Our laboratory aims to understand how regulatory inputs are integrated to drive specific gene expressions programs during development, and how mutations in chromatin factors lead to human disease. Focusing on linker histones – proteins often mutated in several cancers and developmental disorders, – we work to decipher the causative relationships between chromatin compaction state, gene activity, and many intermediate regulatory events in the nucleus.

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Jeffrey Vedanayagam, PhD

Assistant Professor

jeffrey.vedanayagam@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Vedanayagam’s laboratory is centered on studying the genetic renegades in the genome called selfish genetic elements and their impacts on germline development, reproduction, and fertility. In particular, our lab is interested in understanding 1) how selfish meiotic drive genes, which thwart Mendelian segregation during meiosis, compromise germline genome integrity; 2) how host suppression strategies evolve to control the activities of meiotic drive genes and restore faithful transmission of genetic information; 3) what are the consequences of genetic conflicts to the evolution of genes involved in germline processes. We primarily use Drosophila to study the molecular workings of intragenomic conflicts and also utilize computational/bioinformatics approaches to study how selfish genetic elements shape the evolution of fly and mammalian genomes. Our lab is committed to inclusivity and fosters a diverse and welcoming environment that promotes equal opportunities for learning and growth.

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Matthew Wanat, PhD

Associate Professor

matthew.wanat@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Wanat’s lab is centered on studies of the pursuit of rewards and avoiding aversive outcomes. We are particularly interested in studying how stress and drugs of abuse influence motivation, learning, and decision-making processes. The lab employs a number experimental techniques, including fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, chemogenetics, fiber photometry, and optogenetics. Ongoing research projects are examining the behavioral consequences of astrocyte-neuron interactions in the midbrain, the long-term consequences of stress on reward-guided behavior, and the neural circuits involved with changing reward preference. Our ultimate goal is to identify and reverse neural adaptations underlying aberrant processes in models of psychiatric disorders.

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Yufeng Wang, PhD

Professor

yufeng.wang@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Wang’s lab is centered on the comparative genomics, molecular evolution, and systems biology of gene families. The lab uses genomic and related data, coupled with other biochemical and microbiological information, to identify new therapeutic targets and to further study the underlying evolutionary mechanisms in diseases such as malaria. Their research has a particular emphasis on the functional divergence of duplicated genes, which are believed to provide the raw material for functional novelty. The lab is also interested in the association between sequence evolution and gene network regulation.

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Marissa Wechsler, PhD

Assistant Professor

Marissa.Wechsler@utsa.edu

The Wechsler lab focuses on the use of engineered polymeric systems for biomarker detection, drug delivery, and the design of complex biological microenvironments with applications in nanotechnology, biosensing, and tissue engineering. We custom synthesize environmentally responsive (temperature and pH sensitive) hydrogels for protein sensing and delivery and stem cell-based technologies. Diseases our research aims to target includes (but is not limited to) autoimmune diseases, vascular diseases, and osteoporosis.  

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Corinna Ross, PhD

Professor

cross@txbiomed.org

My research integrates molecular, physiological and behavioral assessment techniques to explore mechanisms that influence healthspan and longevity in non-human primates with an emphasis on translational biomedical modeling.  Marmosets have the shortest average lifespan and fastest reproduction of any anthropoid primate, making them ideal for studies of long-term health outcomes. To develop and design phenotyping tools we have modified rodent, other nonhuman primates, or clinical geriatric assessments, including daily activity, ambulation, strength, feeding patterning, and cognitive function. These techniques have been used to characterize a number of disease etiologies important to developmental programming, geriatric research and current American disease trends including obesity and metabolic syndrome, functional health decline, and frailty. 

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Andrew Cap, MD, PhD

Adjoint Professor

andrew.p.cap.mil@health.mil

Research in Dr. Cap’s lab is centered on translating basic science in hematology, transfusion medicine and integrative physiology into clinical solutions for the care of traumatically injured patients. Lines of effort include blood product development and blood safety; the study of acquired coagulation disorders in trauma, sepsis and use of extracorporeal life support systems; and the study of mesenchymal stromal cells in immunomodulation and wound healing following trauma. The lab employs in silico, in vitro, and in vivo models and participate in multi-center clinical trials and other collaborative projects to make advances in these areas. The department is comprised of 35 investigators, technicians, and staff and is supported by a dedicated research blood bank, clinical instrumentation laboratory, and flow cytometry facility.

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Daniel N. Darlington, PhD

Adjoint Professor

daniel.n.darlington.civ@health.mil

Research in Dr. Darlington’s lab is centered on pathologies associated with trauma and hemorrhage including coagulopathy, acute lung and kidney injury and inflammatory responses.  Our mission is to develop and test resuscitation fluid, drugs and cell based therapies as to attenuate or prevent the development of these pathologies. Methodologies include various animal models of trauma to test these therapies, liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy for measuring changes in energy metabolism in blood cells and tissues, thromboelastometry for measuring all aspects of clot formation, platelet aggregation, multiplex ELISA, and enzymatic assays. Specific interests include changes in platelet aggregation and retraction, adenine energy metabolism, Krebs cycle, electron transport metabolome, inflammatory cytokines, endothelial barrier function, and everything involving pathologies associated with trauma and hemorrhage.

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Michael Adam Meledeo, PhD

Adjoint Professor

michael.a.meledeo.civ@health.mil

Research in Dr. Meledeo’s lab is centered on optimizing transfusion medicine through a variety of insertion points. His team has developed numerous in vitro models to explore, define, and target mechanisms underlying the condition known as acute traumatic coagulopathy, a syndrome associated with significant increases in mortality after trauma and hemorrhage. The lab has also worked to develop and optimize alternative storage modalities and transfusion support methods to change blood banking dogma in ways that increase the supply of blood products and maximize the viability of those products to severely injured patients while reducing the logistical burden of delivering blood at the point of injury where it can make the most impact. Simultaneously, ongoing efforts in the lab are driving toward partially or wholly synthetic blood alternatives to bolster supply and bridge the gap between injury and definitive care when patients are most vulnerable.

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Kristin Reddoch-Cardenas, PhD

Adjoint Associate Professor

kristin.m.cardenas2.civ@health.mil

Research in Dr. Reddoch-Cardenas’s lab is centered on the development and optimization of blood products for battlefield and civilian use. Platelets can be stored refrigerated (1°-6°C) for up to 72 h (up to 14 days with a variance) for treatment of actively bleeding patients, while whole blood can be stored for up to 35 days. Prolonged storage of platelets causes deleterious structural, biochemical, and functional changes (i.e. ‘the platelet storage lesion’) that can lead to product wastage. Dr. Reddoch-Cardenas’s work investigates the effects of novel additives—such as targets of mitochondrial preservation, ROS scavengers, and inhibitors of platelet activation/apoptosis—on platelet hemostatic function in platelet and whole blood storage. Another project is focused on the development of an engineered dried whole blood product for battlefield use. The Reddoch-Cardenas lab works primarily with human blood samples and small animal (rat) models.

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Alan J. Weaver, Jr., PhD

Adjoint Assistant Professor

alan.j.weaver3.ctr@health.mil

Research in Dr. Weaver’s is centered on many aspects of trauma and the development of treatments for prolonged field care of the wounded warrior. Prior work has included the development of a burn wound infection model in order to understand host-pathogen interactions and test novel treatments, while also investigating alterations in the microbiome of burn wounds. More recently his efforts have focused on the host response under trauma, particularly as it relates to endotheliopathy and vascular leakage. Currently his team is working to identify key biomarkers of endotheliopathy within multiple trauma models (e.g., burns, hemorrhage, compartment syndrome) with the goal of developing an endotheliopathy specific animal model for use in future therapeutic testing. Dr. Weaver’s work has expanded to include rodent, porcine, and canine models, taking part in multiple endeavors regarding trauma research. Despite recent efforts, he still maintains an active interest in host-pathogen interactions related to traumatic injury.

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Xiaowu Wu, M.D., M.M.S.

Adjoint Associate Professor

xiaowu.wu.civ@health.mil

Research in Dr. Wu’s lab is centered on investigating therapeutics for combat trauma and hemorrhagic shock, which are currently supported by multiple intramural research funds. Dr. Wu and his team have developed numerous battlefield and clinically relevant in vivo animal models, including polytrauma, hemorrhagic shock, burn, traumatic brain injury, and radiation, to characterize associated pathophysiologic changes and define therapeutic targets. His lab includes two independent procedure rooms at the vivarium to conduct animal experiments and a designated area that obtains the equipment to perform histology, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, hematologic analysis, and cell culture, including Maestro Edge and Bioflux for in vitro models of endothelium physiology. The ongoing efforts are driven mainly to develop and test pharmaceutical interventions, various blood products, or synthetic blood used at or near the point of injury to improve the survival of lethal hemorrhagic shock that bridges the gap between injury and accessing definite care; mitigate the morbidity of trauma and hemorrhagic shock, including enotheliopathy, in order to reduce vascular permeability and improve the efficacy of fluid or blood resuscitation; and treat acute traumatic coagulopathy as a part of hemostatic resuscitation therapy. Dr. Wu currently serves as a research scientist at the blood and shock resuscitation department of USAISR and as an adjunct associate professor at the Surgery Department of the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

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Lusha Xiang, MD

Adjoint Associate Professor

lusha.xiang.civ@health.mil

Research in Dr. Xiang’s lab is centered on the development of prehospital treatments that protect organ function (renal specifically) and extend survival following traumatic injury and hemorrhagic shock. His interests and expertise align around renal, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and exercise physiology, with focuses on hemorrhage and anti-shock therapies, acute kidney injury, and acute lung injury.  

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Gary Gaufo, PhD

Associate Professor

gary.gaufo@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Gaufo’s laboratory is centered on understanding the onset of gene activation and the first cell fate decision in mammals. This remarkable period marks the independence of the early embryo from maternal factors to a reliance on its own genome. Coincident with this molecular event, the embryo transitions from a totipotent state – the capacity to generate the embryo proper and extraembryonic tissues, such as the placenta – to a more restricted pluripotent state generally restricted to the embryo proper. Using in vitro models – induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells – experiments are focused on discovering the epigenetic mechanisms that control the transition between totipotent and pluripotent states. The overarching goal of the laboratory is to understand the evolution of the genomic ecosystem that ultimately contributed to this uniquely mammalian phenomenon. 

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Howard Grimes, PhD

Professor

howard.grimes@cymanii.org

Dr. Grimes is the Associate Vice President and Associate Vice Provost for Institutional Initiatives. His portfolio includes projects related to achieving Carnegie R1 status and National Research University Fund (NRUF) eligibility; expansion of the Research Core Facilities Program and strengthening its infrastructure; facilitating the Transdisciplinary Research Council to foster multi- and inter-disciplinary research and academic activities; and assisting with strategic faculty recruitment.

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David Jaffe, PhD

Professor

david.jaffe@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Jaffe’s lab is centered on neurons which transmit and process information in the brain. Their function is determined to a large extent by how they convert a spectrum of spatial and temporal patterns of stimulation into electro-chemical responses. Dr. Jaffe’s lab uses a combination of computer modeling and experimentation to explore how neurons, and networks of neurons, filter and process information in normal and diseased states, such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and pain processing and behavior.

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Richard LeBaron, PhD

Professor

richard.lebaron@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. LeBaron’s lab is centered on cell adhesion interactions with molecules of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Cell adhesion is a central function that underlies tissue development, homeostasis and tissue regeneration. Understanding cell adhesion-class ECM molecules and their cell-surface receptors will promote the development of novel therapeutics, and the identification of treatment targets for injured and diseased tissues. Dr. LeBaron’s group is focused on an ECM protein called BIGH3 (‘TGFBI’) and its roles in human diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, and as a tumor suppressor and promotor protein. His group applies methodologies of molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry to ‘in vitro’ models comprising early passage human and animal cells and continuous cell lines. Dr. LeBaron’s research also emphasizes the training, development, and mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students.

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Robert Renthal, PhD

Professor

robert.renthal@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Renthal’s lab is centered on chemical communication by arthropods, with a particular interest in ants, flies, and ticks. Methodologies include mass spectrometry (proteomics and lipidomics), fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and bioinformatics. Ongoing projects include: studies of lipid-binding proteins in tick resistance to Lyme disease spirochetes; how odorants bind to and dissociate from insect odorant receptors; the role of lipid-binding proteins in odorant transport to insect olfactory neurons; photochemical tags for biochemical analysis of insect sensillar pore tubules; and antennal touch receptors in ants.

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Charles Wilson, PhD

Professor

charles.wilson@utsa.edu

Research in Dr. Wilson’s lab is centered on how the brain’s electrical signals control our muscles and movements. Parkinson’s disease results from loss of midbrain dopamine neurons, but its symptoms result from pathological electrical signals created and communicated among the cells that remain. Dr. Wilson uses mathematical models and cell-specific electrophysiology to understand the computations embedded in the electrical signals of the basal ganglia, and their dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Wilson’s lab is refining and informing Deep Brain Stimulation therapies for Parkinson’s patients.

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