Leo J. Kenefic, PhD

1986                BS, Microbiology,Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 

2000                MS, Biomedical Sciences, Hood College, Frederick, MD

2008                PhD, Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

                        Thesis: "Genetic diversity of Bacillus anthracis in North America"

Dr. Kenefic is broadly trained in molecular genetics and pathogen genomics. He has significant prior laboratory experiences in clinical microbiology and molecular genetics. After working in a clinical setting and gaining certification as a Specialist in Microbiology through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), he did is PhD thesis work in the laboratory of Dr. Paul Keim at Northern Arizona University. Upon completion of his graduate studies he accepted a position as a Research Supervisor and post doctoral fellow at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) Malaria Group in Dr. Christopher Plowe's Lab. Dr. Kenefic subsequently joined the faculty in the Department of Medical and Research Technology.

Microbiology, Pathogen Genomics, DNA Sequencing

1-    Kenefic LJ, Pearson T, Okinaka RT, Schupp JM, Wagner DM, Hoffmaster AR, Trim CB, Chung WK, Beaudry JA, Jiang L, Gajer P, Foster JT, Mead JI, Ravel J, Keim P. Pre-Columbian Origins for North American Anthrax. PLoS One. 2009 March 13. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004813

2-    Rasko DA, Worsham PL, Abshire TG, Stanley ST, Bannan JD, Wilson MR, Langham RJ, Decker RS, Jiang L, Read TD, Phillippy AM, Salzberg SL, Pop M, Van Ert MN, Kenefic LJ, Keim PS, Fraser-Liggett CM, Ravel J. Bacillus anthracis comparative genome analysis in support of the Amerithrax investigation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2011 Mar 22;108(12):5027-32.

3-    Takala-Harrison S, Clark TG, Jacob CG, Cummings MP, Miotto O, Dondorp AM, Fukuda MM, Nosten F, Noedl H, Imwong M, Bethell D, Se Y, Lon C, Tyner SD, Saunders DL, Socheat D, Ariey F, Phyo AP, Starzengruber P, Fuehrer HP, Swoboda P, Stepniewska K, Flegg J, Arze C, Cerqueira GC, Silva JC, Ricklefs SM, Porcella SF, Stephens RM, Adams M, Kenefic LJ, Campino S, Auburn S, Macinnis B, Kwiatkowski DP, Su XZ, White NJ, Ringwald P, Plowe CV. A genome-wide association study of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin treatment in Southeast Asia. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2013 Jan 2;110(1):240-5.

4-    Khattak AA, Venkatesan M, Khatoon L, Ouattara A, Kenefic LJ, Nadeem MF, Nighat F, Malik SA, Plowe CV. Prevalence and patterns of antifolate and chloroquine drug resistance markers in Plasmodium vivax across Pakistan. Malar J. 2013 Sep 5;12:310.

5-    Cohee LM, Kalilani-Phiri L, Mawindo P, Joshi S, Adams M, Kenefic L, Jacob CG, Taylor TE, Laufer MK. Parasite dynamics in the peripheral blood and the placenta during pregnancy-associated malaria infection. Malar J. 2016 Sep 21;15(1):483