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View Curriculum Vitae
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Abdu F Azad
Pharm.D., Ph.D., M.P.H.
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| Academic Title:
Professor |
| Primary Appointment:
Microbiology and Immunology |
| Secondary Appointments:
International Medicine |
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aazad@umaryland.edu |
| Location:
655 W. Baltimore St.,
433 |
| Phone:
(410) 706-3335 (Office) |
| Phone:
(410) 706-3337 |
| Fax:
(410) 706-0282 |
| Lab:
(410) 706-7066 |
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Personal History
EDUCATION
1960-1966: Dr. Pharmacy, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
1969-1970: M.P.H., University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
1972-1976: Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
1976-1978: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Microbiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1990-present: Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine (with tenure).
1990-present: Professor, International Health Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
1983-1990: Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine (with tenure).
1978-1983: Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
1976: Post-doctoral Fellow, University of Maryland School of Medicine.
1970: Assistant Professor, University of Tehran School of Public Health
10/1971-12/1971: Visiting Scientist, USSR Academy of Sciences (Invited by the USSR Academy of Sciences).
8/1968-12/1968: Visiting Fellow, University of Georgia & University of North Carolina (WHO-sponsored Short-term postdoctoral training in Ecology and Parasitology)
Research Interests
Immunological and molecular aspects of host-parasite interactions
The ongoing research in my laboratory is focused on two major projects. The first project is to understand the molecular basis of bacterial pathogenesis. In particular, our research is focused on pathogenic rickettsiae such as Rickettsia typhi, the agent of murine typhus, R. prowazekii, the agent of louse-borne typhus, and R. rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. In addition to their importance as human pathogens, the obligate intracellular existence of these obligate intracellular bacteria in both mammalian and invertebrate hosts has emerged as an excellent model system for the study of complex host-parasite interactions. Our goal is to assess the importance of genes encoding virulence-associated proteins and their use in immunoprotection against pathogenic rickettsiae. Both conventional and molecular approaches are used to elucidate mechanisms underlying rickettsial pathogenesis.
The second project is focused on the biology and immunology of malaria parasite liver-stages. There are 270 million new cases of malaria each year and malaria alone kills more than one million people a year, mostly children. The major objectives of our research are to identify Plasmodium genes in the infected hepatocytes, which are expressed early after infection, and shut off during the blood-stage cycle. The research involves the isolation of human and rodent Plasmodium liver stage schizonts for the generation of parasite cDNA library and microarray analysis. Although parasite antigen discovery is our main focus we have also been pursuing novel strategies of disease control by identifying mosquito gut proteins that could be developed into transmission-blocking vaccines
Current Funding:
Principal Investigator:
NIH/NIAID, R37 AI 17828 (MERIT AWARD, Murine Typhus: Vector Biology and Transmission,
09/01/1982 through 11/30/08.
The aims of this project are the following: (1) Determine the degree of interplay between the Rickettsia typhi in fleas and mammalian hosts. These experiments aim at elucidating the mechanism of rickettsial entry and growth in the flea gut epithelial lining and mammalian cell lines; (2) Identification, cloning and characterization of the genes encoding R. typhi virulence-associated proteins and their use in immunoprotection against typhus group rickettsiae.
NIH/NIAID, R01 AI 43006, Interspecific Competition Between Rickettsiae in Ticks,
03/01/98 through 06/30/09.
This proposal specifically addresses transovarial interference of the human pathogen, Rickettsia rickettsii, in the tick vector transovarially infected with nonpathogenic rickettsiae. The aims of this project are the following: (1) To investigate the prevalence and relative efficiency of transovarial interference of R. rickettsii as mediated by other indigenous species of nonpathogenic spotted fever group rickettsiae within D. andersoni and D. variabilis. (2) To initiate studies to examine the molecular mechanism(s) of transovarial interference of R. rickettsii by R. peacockii and other nonpathogenic spotted fever group rickettsiae.
NIH/NIAID, R01 AI 47445, The Biology and Immunology of Malaria Parasite Liver-Stages,
12/01/00 to 11/30/07 (no cost extention).
The major objectives of our research are to identify Plasmodium yoelii genes in the infected mouse liver, the expression of which is induced early after infection, and shut off during the blood-stage cycle. The research involves the isolation of human and rodent Plasmodium liver stage schizonts by Laser-capture microdissection for the generation of parasite cDNA library and microarray analysis. Although parasite antigen discovery is our main focus, in collaboration with the CDC we have been pursuing novel strategies of disease control by identifying mosquito gut proteins that could be selected as transmission-blocking vaccines.
NIH/NIAID, R01AI059118 , Generation of Genetically-Attenuated Rickettsiae
04/15/05 to 01/31/10
This proposal focuses on generation of Rickettsia prowazekii, R. typhi, and R. rickettsii mutants lacking functional virulence genes. These attenuated non-virulent mutants then would be used to develop broad-based protective rickettsial vaccines.
Publications
Peer-Reviewed Journals (Last Five Years)
Henrya, K.M., J Jianga, J., Rozmajzla, P.J., Azad, A. F., Macaluso, K.R. and Richards, A.L. 2007. Development of quantitative real-time PCR assays to detect Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis, the causative agents of murine typhus and fleaborne spotted fever. Molecular and Cellular Probes 21: 17-23.
Rahman, M.S., Ceraul, S. M., Dreher-Lesnick, S. M., Beier, M. S. and Azad, A.F. 2007. The lspA gene, encoding the type II signal peptidase of Rickettsia typhi: transcriptional and functional analysis. J. Bacteriol. 189:336-341.
Ceraul, S. M. , S. M. Dreher-Lesnick, J. J. Gillespie, M. S. Rahman, and A. F. Azad. 2007. A New Tick defensin isoform and antimicrobial gene expression in response to Rickettsia montanensis challenge. Infect. Immun.75:1973-1983.
Sakamoto, J. M. and Azad, A. F. 2007. Propagation of arthropod-borne Rickettsia spp. in two mosquito cell lines. Appl Environ Microbiol (doi:10.1128/AEM.00923-07).
Snyder. E.E., Azad, A. F. , et al. (33 authors). 2007. PATRIC: The VBI PathoSystems Resource Integration Center. Nucleic Acids Res. (Database Issue)35:D401-406.
Gillespie, J.J. , Beier, M.S., Rahman, M.S., Ammerman, N.C. , Shallom, J.M., Purkayastha, A., Sobral, B.S. and Azad, A.F. 2007. Horizontal inheritance of plasmid genes in Rickettsia felis. PLoS One 3:1-17 (e266).
Porter-Kelley, J.M., Dinglasan, R. R., Alam, U., Ndeta, G.A., U. Sacci, J. B. and Azad, A.F. 2006. Plasmodium yoelii: Axenic development of parasite mosquito stages. Exp. Parasitol. 112:99-108.
Sacci Jr. J.B., Alam, A., Douglas, D., Lewis, J., Tyrrell, D. L. J., Azad, A.F. and Kneteman, N.M. 2006. Sequential liver and blood stage infection with Plasmodium falciparum in mice containing chimeric human livers. Int. J. Parasitol. 36:353-360.
Dreher-Lesnick, S. M., Mulenga, A., Simser, J. A. and Azad, A. F. 2006. Differential expression of two novel glutathione S-transferases identified from the American Dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. Insect Molecul. Biol. 15:445-453.
Macaluso, K. R., Mulenga, A., Simser, J.A., and Azad, A.F. 2006. Characterization of Dermacentor variabilis molecules associated with rickettsial infection. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1078: 384–388.
Mulenga, A., Simser, J.A., Macaluso, K.R. and Azad, A.F. 2004. Stress and transcriptional regulation of tick ferritin HC. Insect Molecul. Biol. 13:423-433.
Rutherford, J.S., Macaluso M.R., Smith, N., Zaki, S.R., Paddock, C.D., Davis, J.M., Peterson, N., Azad, A. F. and Rosenberg, R. 2004. A case of fatal spotted fever rickettsiosis in Kenya. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 10:910-913.
Simser, J.A., Mulenga, A., Macaluso, K.R., and Azad, A. F. 2004. An immune responsive factor D-like serine proteinase homolog identified from the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. Insect Molecul. Biol. 13:25-35.
Simser, J.A., Mulenga, A., Macaluso, K. R., and Azad, A. F. 2004. Immune-responsive lysozymes from hemocytes of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis and an embryonic cell line of the Rocky Mountain wood tick, D. andersoni. Insect Biochem. Molecul Biol., 34:1235-1246.
Dinglasan, R. R., Valenzuela, J. G. and Azad. A. F. 2005. Conserved carbohydrate epitopes as universal transmission blocking targets. Insect Biochem. Molecul Biol., 35:1-10.
Dinglasan, R. R., Porter-Kelley, J.M., Alam, U. and Azad, A.F. 2005. Peptide mimics as surrogate immunogens of mosquito midgut carbohydrate malaria transmission blocking targets. Vaccine, 23:2717-2724.
Rahman, M.S., J. A. Simser, K. R. Macaluso & Azad, A. F. 2005. Functional analysis of secA homolog from rickettsiae. Microbiology 151:589-596
Sacci Jr. J.B., Ribeiro, J. M.C., Huangc, B.F., Alama, U, Russell, J. A., Peter, E., Blair, Witney, A. D., Carucci, D.J., Azad, A. F. and Aguiar, J.C. 2005. Transcriptional analysis of in vivo Plasmodium yoelii liver stage gene expression. Molecul. Biochem. Parasitol 142:177-183.
Simser, J. A., Rahman, M.S., Dreher-Lesnick, S. M. and Azad, A. F. 2005. A novel and naturally occurring transposon, ISRpe1 in the Rickettsia peacockii genome disrupting the rickA gene involved in actin-based motility. Molecular Microbial 58:71-79.
Mulenga, A. and Azad, A.F. 2005. The molecular and biological analysis of ixodid ticks histamine release factors. Exp. Appl. Acarology 37: 215-229.
Hance, M.E., Czar, M.J., Azad, A.F., Purkaystha, A., Snyder, E.E., Crasta, O.R., Setubal, J.C. and Sobral, B.W. 2005. The Pathogen Resource Integration Center: Implications for Rickettsial Research. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1063: 459–465.
Mulenga, A., Simser, J.A., Macaluso, K.R. and Azad, A.F. 2004. Stress and transcriptional regulation of tick ferritin HC. Insect Molecular Biology 13:423-433.
Rutherford, J.S., Macaluso M., Smith, N., Zaki, S.R., Paddock, C.D., Davis, J.M., Peterson, N., Azad, A. F. and Rosenberg, R. 2004. A case of fatal spotted fever rickettsiosis in Kenya. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 10:910-913.
Azad, A. F. 2004. Prairie Dog: Cuddly Pet or Trojan Horse? Emerging Infectious Diseases 10: 542-543.
Simser, J.A., Mulenga, A., Macaluso, K.R., and Azad, A. F. 2004. An immune responsive factor D-like serine proteinase homolog identified from the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis. Insect Molecular Biology. 13:25-35.
Simser, J.A., Mulenga, A., Macaluso, K. R., and Azad, A. F. 2004. Immune-responsive lysozymes from hemocytes of the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis and an embryonic cell line of the Rocky Mountain wood tick, D. andersoni. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 34:1235-1246.
Gaywee, J, J. B. Sacci, Jr., S. Radulovic, M. S. Beier and Azad, A. F. 2003. Subcellular localization of rickettsial invasion protein, InvA. Am. J. Trop. Med. 68:92-96
Dinglasan, R. R., Field, I., Shahabuddin, M., Azad, A. F. and Sacci, J. B. Jr. 2003. Monoclonal antibody MG96 completely blocks Plasmodium yoelii development In Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes. Infection & Immunity 71:6995-7001.
Macaluso, K. R., A. Mulenga, J. A. Simser and Azad, A. F. 2003. Differential expression of genes in uninfected and Rickettsia-infected Dermacentor variabilis as assessed by differential display PCR. Infection & Immunity 71: 6165-6170.
Rahman, M.S., J. A. Simser, K. R. Macaluso & Azad, A. F. 2003. Molecular and Functional Analysis of lepB Gene Encoding a Type I Signal Peptidase from Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia typhi. J. Bacteriol 185:4578-4584.
Macaluso, K. R., J. Davis, U. Alma, A. Korman, J. Rutherford, R. Rosenberg, and Azad, A. F. 2003. Spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks from the Masai Mara region of Kenya. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 68:551-553.
Mulenga, A., K., R. Macaluso, J., A. Simser & Azad, A. F. 2003. The ixodid tick, Dermacentor variabilis encodes a functional histamine release factor that is transcriptionally and translationally up-regulated in rickettsia infected ticks. Insect Biochemistry & Molecular Biology 33:911-919.
Mulenga, A., K., R. Macaluso, J., A. Simser & Azad, A. F. 2003. Dynamics of Rickettsia tick interactions: identification and characterization of differentially expressed mRNAs in uninfected and infected Demancetor variabilis. Insect Molecular Biology 12:185-93.
Gaywee, J., S. Radulovic, J. A. Higgins and A. F. Azad. 2002. Transcriptional analysis of Rickettsia prowazekii invasion gene homolog (invA) during host cell invation. Infect. Immune. 70: 6346-6354.
Radulovic, S., M. S. Rahman, M. S. Beier and A. F. Azad. 2002. Molecular functional analysis of the Rickettsia typhi gro ESL operon. Gene: 298: 41-48.
Sacci, J. B. and A. F. Azad. 2002. Gene expression analysis during liver stage development of Plasmodium. Int. J. Parasitol: 32:1551-1557.
Macaluso, K. R., D. E. Sonenshine, S. M. Ceraul, A. F. Azad. 2002. Rickettsial infection in Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae) inhibits transovarial transmission of a second Rickettsia. J. Med. Entomol. 39: 809-813.
Vaughan, J. A., D. E. Sonenshine, and A. F. Azad. 2002. Kinetics of ingested host immunoglobulin G in hemolymph and whole body homogenates during nymphal development of Dermacentor variabilis and Ixodes scapularis ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). Experimental and Applied Acarology 27: 329-340.
Gaywee, J, Xu, W. L., Radulovic, S., Bessman, M. J. and Azad, A. F. 2002. The Rickettsia prowazekii Invasion Gene Homolog (invA) Encodes a Nudix Hydrolase Active on Adenosine (5')-pentaphospho-(5')-adenosine (Ap5A). Molecular and Cellular Proteomics 1.3: 179-185.
Radulovic, S., P. W. Price, M. S. Beier, J. Gaywee, J. A. Macaluso, and A. F. Azad. 2002. Rickettsia and macrophage infection: intracellular growth and host cell responses. IAI 70: 2576-2582.
Boostrom, A., M., S. Beier, J. A. Macaluso, K. R. Macaluso, D. Sprenger, J. Hayes, S., Radulovic and A. F. Azad. 2002. Opossums, Cat fleas and Rickettsial Diseases in Texas. Emerging Infectious Diseases 8: 543-548. Books and In-Symposium Proceedings
Macaluso, K.R., Mulenga, A., Simser, J.A., and Azad, A.F. 2005. Characterization of Dermacentor variabilis molecules associated with rickettsial infection. Ann. N. Y. Acad Sci. (In Press)
Hance, M.E., , Czar, M.J., Azad, A. F., Purkayastha, A., Snyder, E.E., Crastas, O.R., Setubal, and Sobral, B.W. 2005. The Pathogen Resource Integration Center: Implications for Rickettsial Research. Ann. N. Y. Acad Sci. (In Press).
Macaluso, K. R. and A. Azad. pp. 292 - 301. In: Tick-borne diseases of humans. Eds (Goodman, J.L., D.T.Dennisand D.E. Sonenshine.). 2005. ASM Press, Washington, D.C.
Macaluso, K. R., A. Mulenga, Simser, J.A. and A.F. Azad. 2003. Interactions between rickettsiae and Dermacentor variabilis ticks: analysis of gene expression. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 990: 568-572.
Azad, A. F. & S. Radulovic. 2003. Pathogenic rickettsiae and bioterrorism. Ann. NY Acad. Sci. 990: 734-738.
Sonenshine, D.E., Ceraul S.M., Hynes, W. E., Macaluso K. R., and Azad A. F. 2003. Expression of defensin-like peptides in tick hemolymph and midgut in response to challenge with Borrelia burgdorferi, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Proc Fourth Int Cong Ticks and Tick-borne Path. July 21-26, 2002. Banff, Canada.
Radulovic, S. and A. F. Azad. 2002. Pathogenic rickettsiae and bioterrorism. BTR 2002. 2: 58-63.
Higgins, J. A. and A. F. Azad. 1999. Injurious arthropods. Hunter's Tropical Medicine (G.T. Strickland, ed). Philadelphia: Saunders.7th ed.
Sonenshine, D. and A.F. Azad. 1999. Ticks and Mites chapter. In: Hunter's Tropical Medicine (G.T. Strickland, ed). Philadelphia: Saunders.7th ed.
Wirtz, R. A. and A. F. Azad. 1999. Injurious arthropods. Hunter's Tropical Medicine (G.T. Strickland, ed).Philadelphia: Saunders.7th ed.
Higgins, J. A. and A. F. Azad. 1996. Typhus Fevers. Conn's Current Therapy (R. E. Rakel, ed). W.B. Saunders Company.
Schriefer, M. E. and A. F. Azad. 1994. Ecology and Natural History of Rickettsia rickettsii. In: Ecological Dynamics of Tick-Borne Zoonoses (D. E. Sonenshine and T. N. Mather, eds). Oxford University Press.
Schriefer, M. E. and A. F. Azad. 1994. Arthropod-Borne Diseases. pp47-51. In: Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine (J. R. August, ed). W. B. Saunders Company.
Azad, A. F. 1991. Changing epidemiology of murine typhus. Proceed. IV Int. Symposium on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Dis. 435-439.
Dessouky, A. E. A. Manor, J. V. Lange, and A.F. Azad. 1991. Detection of spotted fever rickettsiae in ticks from the North Sinai, Egypt. Proceed. IV Int. Symposium on Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Dis. 383-388.
Vaughan, J.A. and A.F. Azad. 1990. Acquisition of murine typhus rickettsiae by fleas. Ann.New York Acad. Sciences 590:70-75.
Azad, A., L. Webb, M. Carl, and G.A. Dasch. 1990. Detection of rickettsiae in arthropod vectors by DNA amplification using the polymerase chain reaction. Ann. New York Acad. Sciences 590:557-563.
Sonenshine, D. and A.F.Azad. 1990. Ticks and Mites chapter (p971-981). In: Hunter's Tropical Medicine (G.T. Strickland, ed).Philadelphia: Saunders.7th ed.
Wirtz, R. A. and A. F. Azad. 1990. Injurious arthropods (p893-910). Hunter's Tropical Medicine (G.T. Strickland, ed).Philadelphia: Saunders.7th ed.
Azad, A., L. Webb, M. Carl, and G.A. Dasch. 1990. Detection of rickettsiae in arthropod vectors by DNA amplification using the polymerase chain reaction. Ann. New York Acad. Sciences 590:557-563.
Azad, A.F., J.A. Vaughan, and R.A. Wirtz, 1989. Host anti-parasite IgG: transport across the gut epithelial lining, and its influence on the infectivity of arthropod vectors. pp.163-170. In: Host regulated developmental mechanisms in vector arthrods (Borovsky and Spielman eds)., University of Florida Press.
Azad, A.F. 1988. Relationship to vector biology and epidemiology of louse and flea-borne rickettsioses. In: Biology of Rickettsial Diseases (D. H. Walker, ed). CRC Press Vol. 1. 52-62.
Schmidtmann, E.T., R.M. Rice, M.G. Roble and A.F. Azad.1987. Search for an arthropod vector of Ehrlichia risticii . pp 9-16 Proc. Potomac Horse Fever. Schering Animal Hlth. pub.
Azad, A.F. 1986. Passage of host serum components, including specific antibodies to Rickettsia typhi across the digestive tract of fleas. pp 158-62. In: Host regulated developmental mechanisms in vector arthropods (Borovsky & Spielman). U. of Florida Pub.
Azad, A.F., C.L. Wisseman, Jr. and R. Traub 1981. Studies on murine typhus rickettsiae and Xenopsylla cheopis. pp 363-73. In: Rickettsiae and Rickettsial Diseases. (Burgdorfer and Anacker). Academic Press.
Fiset, P., C.L. Wisseman, Jr., A. F. Azad, H.R. Fischman, D. Sorley and J. Horman, 1981. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Maryland. pp 569-73. Ibidem.
Traub, R., C.L. Wisseman, Jr. and A. F. Azad. 1980. The ecology of murine typhus. pp 848-54. In: Fleas (Traub and Starcke), Academic Press.
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