First year students in the Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (GPIBS) are required to take three 5-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 that are accepting students for rotations in AY 2023-2024.
Immunology
Dr. Youssef Aachoui (YAachoui@uams.edu)
Innate immune response (caspase 1 and caspase 11 inflammasomes) in infection and inflammatory diseases
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. Trained immunity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections
2. Ontogeny of innate immune cells
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)
Poxvirus evasion of SAMD9 host restriction pathway
Microbiology
Dr. Youssef Aachoui (YAachoui@uams.edu)
Innate immune response (inflammasomes) in infection and inflammatory diseases
Dr. Jon Blevins (JSBlevins@uams.edu)
Pathogenesis and transmission of Lyme disease and relapsing fever Borrelia
Mycology
Dr. Praveen Juvvadi (Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, prjuvvadi@uams.edu)
Aspergillus pathogenesis, secondary metabolism, and development
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)
Poxvirus evasion of SAMD9 host restriction pathway
Dr. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Role of mitochondrial proteins in viral lymphoma
2. Long non-coding RNAs in viral chromatin organization
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions
Dr. Zhiqiang Qin (Department of Pathology, ZQin@uams.edu)
Periodontal bacteria enhance oral KSHV pathogenesis and Kaposi’s Sarcoma development in HIV+ patients
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. Role of mitochondrial proteins in viral lymphoma
2. Long non-coding RNAs in viral chromatin organization
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. Jia Liu (JLiu4@uams.edu)
Poxvirus evasion of SAMD9 host restriction pathway
Dr. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Role of mitochondrial proteins in viral lymphoma
2. Long non-coding RNAs in viral chromatin organization
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions
Pathobiology Track
Dr. Jon Blevins (JSBlevins@uams.edu)
Pathogenesis and transmission of Lyme disease and relapsing fever 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. Mark Manzano (mmanzano@uams.edu)
1. Role of mitochondrial proteins in viral lymphoma
2. Long non-coding RNAs in viral chromatin organization
3. Genome-wide CRISPR screens to study host-pathogen interactions