Bernard Arulanandam, Ph.D.

RESEARCH

Dr. Bernard Arulanandam's lab studies the basic mechanisms of immune defenses at mucosal sites. Mucosal surfaces form the major interface between the host and the environment, and constitute the first line of defense against pathogens. Specific ongoing projects include:

Immunopathogenesis of Chlamydia trachomatis

We are currently investigating various aspects of Chlamydia-induced pathogenesis utilizing genital and lung bacterial challenge models. The pathology produced by both genital (e.g., PID) and pulmonary infection of newborns (asthma-like consequences such as airway hyper-reactivity) result as a consequence of immunological sequeale to the primary or repeated infections with this pathogen. These studies are aimed at providing insights into the design of a viable vaccine against this pathogen.

Respiratory Defenses against Pulmonary Tularemia

Francisella tularensis is an intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that is the causative agent of tularemia. We are currently examining the mechanism(s) by which mast cells modulate innate immune defenses against this pathogen. Moreover, we are characterizing the use of defined F. tularensis mutants as live attenuated vaccine candidates against pneumonic tularemia.

Mucosal Defenses Against Acinetobacter baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as an important nosocomial pathogen observed in injured military service personnel from the Middle East. We have developed an oral-gastrointestinal (GI) challenge model with A. baumannii to examine the contribution of mucosal immune defenses against gastrointestinal colonization by this pathogen and the subsequent systemic manifestation of this infection.

Selected Publications

Tang L, Yang Z, Zhang H, Zhou Z, Arulanandam B, Baseman J, Zhong G. Induction of protective immunity against Chlamydia muridarum intracervical infection in DBA/1j mice. Vaccine. 2014 Mar 10;32(12):1407-13.

Creecy CM, O'Neill CF, Arulanandam BP, Sylvia VL, Navara CS, Bizios R. Mesenchymal stem cell osteodifferentiation in response to alternating electric current.Tissue Eng Part A. 2013 Feb;19(3-4):467-74.

Trivedi NH, Guentzel MN, Rodriguez AR, Yu JJ, Forsthuber TG, Arulanandam BP. Mast cells: multitalented facilitators of protection against bacterial pathogens. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2013 Feb;9(2):129-38.

Manam S, Chaganty BK, Evani SJ, Zafiratos MT, Ramasubramanian AK, Arulanandam BP, Murthy AK. Intranasal vaccination with Chlamydia pneumoniae induces cross-species immunity against genital Chlamydia muridarum challenge in mice. PLoS One. 2013 May 31;8(5):e64917.

Eaves-Pyles T, Patel J, Arigi E, Cong Y, Cao A, Garg N, Dhiman M, Pyles RB, Arulanandam B, Miller AL, Popov VL, Soong L, Carlsen ED, Coletta C, Szabo C, Almeida IC. Immunomodulatory and antibacterial effects of cystatin 9 against Francisella tularensis. Mol Med. 2013 Aug 28;19:263-75