Lab updates
The Barker Lab seeks a postdoctoral scholar to be part of an active fungal pathogen research team. This position will require you to design and carry out pathogenesis studies in an ABSL3 environment for testing novel antifungal agent efficacy in treating valley fever infections. The project will involve molecular, bioinformatic, and microbiological tools, including nucleic acid extractions, sequencing library preps, RNA and DNA sequence analysis, culture and manipulation of Coccidioides in a BSL3 setting, murine infections in an ABSL3 setting, and immunological analysis.
Valley Fever PAWSDr Barker is working to understand host factors associated with susceptibility to valley fever. For more info see our website |
Soil Ecology A recently funded ABRC grant is allowing us to develop molecular techniques to detect Coccidioides in soil |
morphological switchingThe ability of Coccidioides to change morphology in response to environmental changes has implications for infection and sexual recombination. A recent NIH/NIAID R21 grant is supporting this work |
The Barker Lab is interested in all aspects of Coccidioides biology. We study fungal pathogenesis, genomics and ecology. We are striving to improve our knowledge of the ecological niche of Coccidioides in soil by developing new technologies for detection, and improving our ability to predict the presence of Coccidioides in soil. A method to detect Coccidioides in soil would be both an economic development opportunity, and public health benefit to Arizona citizens. Coccidioidomycosis, also known as Valley Fever, is caused by two fungal species within the Coccidioides genus. These are normally soil dwelling dimorphic fungi that are endemic to the Americas. The most common route of infection is inhaling airborne fungal arthroconidia that are present in the environment. Being exposed to environmental Coccidioides arthroconidia often leads to an asymptomatic infection. In many cases pulmonary coccidioidomycosis can lead to the development of asymptomatic benign nodules. It has been estimated that at least 30% of lung nodules biopsied in the endemic region are caused by coccidioidomycosis. When pulmonary coccidioidomycosis is symptomatic in a host, the clinical presentation mimics pneumonia or other flu-like illness. Even in endemic regions, it is estimated that misdiagnosis of coccidioidomycosis as viral or bacterial pneumonia occurs in 30% of patients. If the acute infection does not resolve, it can progress to chronic and/or disseminated disease, and the specific factors influencing this outcome are unknown.
OUR GOALWhen infected by Coccidioides, some people have severe disease, whereas others won't even know they were exposed- Why? |
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Students
Students interested in graduate studies see NAU grad college and contact Dr Barker for more information. Undergraduate students please apply through the PMI website, and specify interest in Coccidioides research.
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Postdocs
The Barker Lab seeks a postdoctoral scholar to be part of an active fungal pathogen research team. This position will require you to design and carry out pathogenesis studies in an ABSL3 environment for testing novel antifungal agent efficacy in treating valley fever infections. The project will involve using molecular, bioinformatic, and microbiological tools, including nucleic acid extractions, sequencing library preps, RNA and DNA sequence analysis, culture and manipulation of Coccidioides in a BSL3 setting, murine infections in an ABSL3 setting, and immunological analysis.
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Publications
For a full list of pubs- see my google scholar page
1. Detection of Coccidioides posadasii from xerophytic environments in Venezuela reveals risk of naturally acquired coccidioidomycosis infections. 2018. Emerging microbes & infections. 7 (1), 46 2. Direct detection of Coccidioides from Arizona soils using CocciENV, a highly sensitive and specific real-time PCR assay. 2018. Medical Mycology in press. 3. The Changing Epidemiology and Diagnosis of Valley Fever. 2017. Clinical Microbiology Newsletter 39 (20), 159-164 |