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Girija  Ramakrishnan
Degree(s): Ph.D.
Graduate School: State University of New York at Stony Brook
Primary Appointment: Assistant Professor of Research of Medicine, Infectious Diseases and International Health
Research Interests:
Iron-uptake mechanisms and Virulence Factors of Francisella tularensis; Microbial Pathogenesis

Email Address: gr6q@virginia.edu
Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program(s)
  • Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases
    • Research Description

    Tularemia is a plague-like disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis.  This organism is highly infectious as an aerosol and an effective vaccine for the agent does not currently exist.  My major research interest is in mechanisms governing pathogenicity of this intracellular pathogen.  Acquisition of iron in the host environment is a challenge for the pathogen, and we are studying the mechanisms for acquisition of iron using a combination of bioinformatics, genetic and proteomic methods.  Defining iron uptake and utilization mechanisms could lead to development of  vaccine and therapeutic strategies.  We are characterizing a siderophore-mediated uptake mechanism, and are also looking at transcriptional regulation of bacterial genes in response to iron.

    A second research interest is the histone deacetylases of the protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica.  I am interested in studying these enzymes with the goal of therapeutic intervention using specific inhibitors.

    Girija Ramakrishnan is an affiliated faculty member of the Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases program.

    Selected Publications
  • Sullivan, JT, Jeffery EF, Shannon JD and Ramakrishnan G. Characterization of the siderophore of Francisella tularensis and role of fslA in siderophore production. J Bacteriol 188 (11):3785 -3795, 2006.
  • Ramakrishnan G, Gilchrist CA, Musa H, Torok MS, Grant PA, Mann BJ, Petri WA Jr. Histone acetyltransferases and deacetylase in Entamoeba histolytica. Mol Biochem Parasitol. 138(2):205-216, 2004.
  • Ramakrishnan G and WA Petri Jr. (2001) Getting sense and finding function in protozoa. Nature Biotechnology 19:213-214.
  • Ramakrishnan G, Rogers JB, Mann BJ and WA Petri Jr. (2000) New tools for genetic analysis of Entamoeba histolytica: blasticidin S deaminase and green fluorescence protein. Parasitology International, 50:47-50.
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    Contact Information
      Office Address: PO Box 801340, 
      Office Phone: +1 434-982-0003
      Fax Phone: +1 434-924-0075
      Home Phone: +1 434-974-6257

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