Dr. Wellington's research interests are:
1) Host defense against infection with Candida
2) Fungal infections in children
3) Infections in the immunocompromised host.

Candida is the most common cause of invasive fungal infection. Most individuals are colonized with Candida, but healthy individuals rarely develop disease from the organism. Candida does cause serious disease in patients who are immunocompromised because of malignancies, AIDS, congenital immunodeficiency disorders, or who are receiving medications that inhibit the immune response. Candida disease is extremely difficult to treat and has a high rate of mortality. Therefore, new modalities, such as the use of anti-Candida antibodies are being investigated. However, very little is known about how antibodies function to protect individuals from infection.

The focus of Dr. Wellington's laboratory is to investigate how the immune response to Candida is affected by the presence of anti-Candida antibodies. The major area of investigation is the interaction of phagocytes with Candida. These investigations include characterization of the mechanisms through which antibody enhances the phagocyte response to the organism. In addition to antibody, receptors on the phagocyte surface that recognize pathogen associated molecular patterns may play an important role in activating the anti-Candida response. The ability of phagocytes to respond appropriately to Candida is important for activation of innate and adaptive immune responses to Candida and may lead to protection from the development of Candida disease. We expect these studies to lead to a better understanding of host-fungal interactions, which will allow us to improve the care of patients at risk for Candida disease.

• Wellington M, Koselny K, Krysan DJ. Candida albicans Morphogenesis Is Not Required for Macrophage Interleukin 1ß Production. MBio. 2012; 4(1).
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• Butts A, Didone L, Koselny K, Baxter BK, Chabrier-Rosello Y, Wellington M, Krysan DJ. A repurposing approach identifies off-patent drugs with fungicidal cryptococcal activity, a common structural chemotype, and pharmacological properties relevant to the treatment of cryptococcosis. Eukaryot Cell. 2013 Feb; 12(2):278-87.
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• Kajfasz JK, Mendoza JE, Gaca AO, Miller JH, Koselny KA, Giambiagi-Demarval M, Wellington M, Abranches J, Lemos JA. The Spx Regulator Modulates Stress Responses and Virulence in Enterococcus faecalis. Infect Immun. 2012 Jul; 80(7):2265-75.
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• Mitra S, Dolan K, Foster TH, Wellington M. Imaging morphogenesis of Candida albicans during infection in a live animal. J Biomed Opt. 2010 Jan-Feb; 15(1):010504.
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• Van Alst NE, Wellington M, Clark VL, Haidaris CG, Iglewski BH. Nitrite reductase NirS is required for type III secretion system expression and virulence in the human monocyte cell line THP-1 by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Infect Immun. 2009 Oct; 77(10):4446-54.
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• Dolan K, Montgomery S, Buchheit B, Didone L, Wellington M, Krysan DJ. Antifungal activity of tamoxifen: in vitro and in vivo activities and mechanistic characterization. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009 Aug; 53(8):3337-46.
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• Wellington M, Dolan K, Krysan DJ. Live Candida albicans suppresses production of reactive oxygen species in phagocytes. Infect Immun. 2009 Jan; 77(1):405-13.
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• Wellington M, Dolan K, Haidaris CG. Monocyte responses to Candida albicans are enhanced by antibody in cooperation with antibody-independent pathogen recognition. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2007 Oct; 51(1):70-83.
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• Wellington M, Kabir MA, Rustchenko E. 5-fluoro-orotic acid induces chromosome alterations in genetically manipulated strains of Candida albicans. Mycologia. 2006 May-Jun; 98(3):393-8.
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• Wellington MA, Bonnez W. Consultation with the specialist: genital warts. Pediatr Rev. 2005 Dec; 26(12):467-71.
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• Wellington M, Rustchenko E. 5-Fluoro-orotic acid induces chromosome alterations in Candida albicans. Yeast. 2005 Jan 15; 22(1):57-70.
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• 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.
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• 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.
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• Bliss JM, Wellington M, Gigliotti F. Antifungal pharmacotherapy for neonatal candidiasis. Semin Perinatol. 2003 Oct; 27(5):365-74.
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• Wellington M, Gigliotti F. Update on antifungal agents. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2001 Oct; 20(10):993-5.
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