First year students in the Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (GPIBS) are required to take three five-week rotations during their first semester. Students are encouraged to consult with their Track Directors based on their research interests before reaching out to their prospective mentors.
Interested M.D./Ph.D. students are also encouraged to reach out to the faculty below for potential summer rotations.
Below are faculty who are accepting students for rotations in AY 2024-2025 (as of June 23, 2024).
Immunology
Dr. Ryan Allen (rmallen2@uams.edu)
Macrophage dysfunction in cardio-metabolic disease
Dr. J. Craig Forrest (JCForrest@uams.edu)
1. Virus-host interactions in oncogenic gammaherpesviruses pathogenesis
2. Genomic instability and translocations in gammaherpesvirus B cell lymphomas
Dr. Lu Huang (lhuang@uams.edu)
1. Metabolic and epigenetic regulation of lung macrophages in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
2. Reprogramming of macrophages against infection and cancer.
Dr. Lin-Xi Li (lxli@uams.edu)
Development and maintenance of CD4 T cell memory in a mouse model of Chlamydia female reproductive tract (FRT) infection
Dr. Jia Liu (JLiu4@uams.edu)
1. Understanding APOBEC driven viral evolution
2. Poxvirus evasion of host immunity
3. Poxviruses regulation of SAMD9/9L functions to evade host immune surveillance and antiviral responses
Microbiology
Dr. Jon Blevins (JSBlevins@uams.edu)
1. Studying regulatory systems in relapsing fever Borrelia that are important for infection
2. Identification of relapsing fever Borrelia virulence factors
3. Characterization of novel virulence determinants in Lyme Borrelia
Dr. Mohamed Elasri (MOElasri@uams.edu)
Global gene regulation in Staphylococcus aureus
Dr. Matthew Jorgenson (MAJorgenson@uams.edu)
Defining novel mechanisms of bacterial cell envelope assembly
Virology
Dr. J. Craig Forrest (JCForrest@uams.edu)
1. Virus-host interactions in oncogenic gammaherpesviruses pathogenesis
2. Genomic instability and translocations in gammaherpesvirus B cell lymphomas
Dr. Jia Liu (JLiu4@uams.edu)
1. Understanding APOBEC driven viral evolution
2. Poxvirus evasion of host immunity
3. Poxviruses regulation of SAMD9/9L functions to evade host immune surveillance and antiviral responses
Dr. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Control of chromatin organization of the latent viral genome
2. Viral co-infections in cellular transformation
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions
MBIM Faculty that are part of other GPIBS Tracks and are accepting rotation students:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track
Dr. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Control of chromatin organization of the latent viral genome
2. Viral co-infections in cellular transformation
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions
Cell Biology and Physiology Track
Dr. J. Craig Forrest (JCForrest@uams.edu)
1. Virus-host interactions in oncogenic gammaherpesviruses pathogenesis
2. Genomic instability and translocations in gammaherpesvirus B cell lymphomas
Dr. Lu Huang (lhuang@uams.edu)
1. Metabolic and epigenetic regulation of lung macrophages in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
2. Reprogramming of macrophages against infection and cancer.
Dr. Jia Liu (JLiu4@uams.edu)
1. Understanding APOBEC driven viral evolution
2. Poxvirus evasion of host immunity
3. Poxviruses regulation of SAMD9/9L functions to evade host immune surveillance and antiviral responses
Dr. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Control of chromatin organization of the latent viral genome
2. Viral co-infections in cellular transformation
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions
Pathobiology Track
Dr. Jon Blevins (JSBlevins@uams.edu)
1. Studying regulatory systems in relapsing fever Borrelia that are important for infection
2. Identification of relapsing fever Borrelia virulence factors
3. Characterization of novel virulence determinants in Lyme Borrelia
Dr. J. Craig Forrest (JCForrest@uams.edu)
1. Virus-host interactions in oncogenic gammaherpesviruses pathogenesis
2. Genomic instability and translocations in gammaherpesvirus B cell lymphomas
Dr. Lu Huang (lhuang@uams.edu)
1. Metabolic and epigenetic regulation of lung macrophages in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
2. Reprogramming of macrophages against infection and cancer.
Dr. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Control of chromatin organization of the latent viral genome
2. Viral co-infections in cellular transformation
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions