Department of Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases Fellowship

Fellowship Research

Current Fellows

Research Project: Role of macrophage in protection from Pneumocystis

Research Mentors
Terry Wright, Ph.D.
Frank Gigliotti, M.D.
Michael “Rusty” Elliot, Ph.D.

Research Project: Analysis of a prototype Pneumocystis vaccine

Research Mentors
Terry Wright, Ph.D.
Frank Gigliotti, M.D.
Jennifer Nayak, M.D.

Child health study: Evaluation of the immune response to meningococcal vaccine in a psychosocially stressed pediatric population

Kainth MK, et al. Chromosomally integrated HHV-6 and HIV disease progression. NIH- NIAID-IDSA Research Careers Meeting. Bethesda, MD. 2012 May 18.
Kainth MK, Caserta MT.
Molecular diagnostic tests for human herpesvirus 6. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011 Jul;30(7):604-5.
Kainth MK, Krysan DJ.
Age and symptoms affect the prevalence of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus in pharyngeal cultures of school age children.
J Pediatr. 2011;158(3):515-6.
Kainth MK, D’Angio C. Newborn immunizations: The hepatitis B paradigm, case #924. University of Rochester Medical Center, Peri-FACTS Academy. Rochester, NY: 2010.

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award – T32, Pediatric Infectious Diseases. PI: Frank Gigliotti, M.D., 2010.
Bradford Fellowship. Strong Children's Research Center, University of Rochester Medical Center. 2010.

Evaluation of the diversity of the CD4 response to influenza in C57BL/10 mice

Nayak JL, Fitzgerald TF, Richards KA, Yang H, Treanor JJ, Sant AJ.
CD4+ T-cell expansion predicts neutralizing antibody responses to monovalent, inactivated 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus subtype H1N1 vaccine.
J Infect Dis. 2013 Jan 15;207(2): 297-305.
Nayak JL, Sant AJ.
Loss in CD4 T-cell responses to multiple epitopes in influenza due to expression of one additional MHC class II molecule in the host.
Immunology. 2012 Aug;136(4):425-36.
Chaves FA, Lee AH, Nayak JL, Richards KA, Sant AJ.
The utility and limitations of current web-available algorithms to predict peptides recognized by CD4 T-cells in response to pathogen infection.
J Immunol. 2012 May 1;188(9):4235-48.
Nayak JL, Sant AJ.
T cell immunology for the clinician. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2011 Mar 13;30(3):248-250.
Nayak JL, Richards KA, Chaves FA, Sant AJ.
Analyses of the specificity of CD4 T cells during the primary immune response to influenza virus reveal dramatic MHC-linked asymmetries in reactivity to individual viral proteins.
Viral Immunol. 2010 Apr;23(2):169-80.
Nayak JL, Hall C. Bronchiolitis. BMJ Point of Care Monograph. 2009.
Nayak JL, Treanor JJ.
Antiviral treatment and prophylaxis of influenza virus in children. Pediatric Ann. 2009 Dec;38(12):667-74.
Nayak JL, Gigliotti F. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus and obstetric infections, Case # 788. The University of Rochester Medical Center, Peri-FACTS Academy. Rochester, NY: 2008.

The “neonatal” mouse response to influenza virus

Oberholzer CM, Caserta MT. Antimicrobial update – Daptomycin. Concise Rev Pediatr Infect Dis. 2005; 24(10):919-20.
Oberholzer CM. Amphiregulin is expressed by human CD4 T-lymphocytes. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital / Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Research Conference. Memphis, TN. February 9-10, 2007.

Clausen/Bradford Fellowship. Strong Children's Research Center, University of Rochester Medical Center. 2005.

Ethanol-exposed placentae are at increased risk of transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from the maternal circulation to the fetus
Reactivation of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) during pregnancy

Hashem M, Menegus MA.
Back to basics: molecular tools in the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases. Pediatr Rev. 2005 Jan;26(1):15-20.
Hashem M, Craig K, Plessinger MA, O’Bara M, et al. Vertical transmission of HIV-1: Transfer and infection in the dually perfused human term placental lobule. J Soc Gynecol Invest. 2004: 11:69a.
Hashem M, Hall CB.
Respiratory syncytial virus in healthy adults: the cost of a cold. J Clin Virol. 2003 May; 27(1):14-21.

Wyeth/Society for Gynecologic Investigation President’s Presenter Research Grant Award, 2004.

The molecular genetic mechanism of fluconazole resistance in C. albicans as it relates to chromosomal instability

Wellington M, Bliss JM, Haidaris CG.
Enhanced phagocytosis of Candida species mediated by opsonization with a recombinant human antibody single-chain variable fragment.
Infect Immun. 2003 Dec;71(12):7228-31.
Bliss JM, Wellington M, Gigliotti F.
Antifungal pharmacology for neonatal candidiasis. Semin Perinatol. 2003 Oct;27(5):365-74.
Wellington M, Gigliotti F.
Update on antifungal agents. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2001 Oct;20(10):993-5.
Wellington M, Kabir MA, Rustchenko E. “5-Fluoro-orotic acid induces chromosome alterations in genetically manipulated strains of Candida albicans.” Mycologia. 2006;98(3):393-8.
Wang YK, Das B, Huber DH, Wellington M, Kabir MA, Sherman F, Rustchenko E.
Role of the 14-3-3 protein in carbon metabolism of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans.”
Yeast. 2004 Jun;21(8):685-702.
Wellington M, Rustchenko E.
5-Fluoro-orotic acid induces chromosome alterations in Candida albicans. Yeast. 2005 Jan 15;22(1):57-70.