A
Acanthamoeba
Acanthamoeba is a microscopic, free-living amoeba that can cause rare, but severe infections of the eye, skin, and central nervous system.
CERID’s research focuses on structural genomic studies through the Van Voorhis’ lab’s affiliated project, the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID).
Acute Kidney Injury
Acute kidney injury is a sudden decrease in kidney function with or without kidney damage. Its most severe stage requires dialysis treatment.
Acute Lung Injury/Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress syndrome (ARDS) describe syndromes of acute respiratory failure through a variety of etiologies.
African Trypanosomiasis (Sleeping Sickness)
Human African trypanosomiasis, or “sleeping sickness”, is a parasitic disease of humans and other animals. Untreated, the disease is fatal.
CERID’s research on African Trypanosomiasis is focused on drug discovery & development.
B
Babesiosis
Babesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. This disease is found throughout the world and, while treatable, it can be life threatening if left untreated.
CERID is studying the use of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Babesia microti parasites.
Balamuthia
Balamuthia mandrillaris is a free-living amoeba found in the environment throughout the world. While rare, it can cause a serious infection of the brain and spinal cord that is usually fatal.
CERID’s research focuses on structural genomic studies through the Van Voorhis’ lab’s affiliated project, the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) and drug design through collaboration with the Kyle lab at University of Georgia (UGA).
Besnoitiosis
Besnoitiosis is caused by infection with protozoan Besnoitia spp., which are cyst-forming coccidian parasites that affect multiple host species worldwide.
CERID’s work with Besnoitiosis is focused on drug discovery and development.
Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction
Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction refers generally to the loss of structural integrity and normal function of the blood-brain barrier.
CERID studies new immunotherapies’ effects on the blood-brain barrier in order to better understand and prevent cases of neurotoxicity.
C
Chagas Disease
Chagas disease, or “American trypanosomiasis”, is a tropical parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi.
Chagas disease research at CERID is focused on drug discovery/development.
Chlamydial Infections
Chlamydial infection is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in humans caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
Chlamydia research at CERID is focused on deciphering the mechanisms by which Chlamydia trachomatis manipulates cellular function in order to exit host cells and cause infectious disease.
Cholera
Cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Transmission is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities, for example after a humanitarian crisis.
CERID’s researchers are studying the relationship between the human gut Microbiome and susceptibility to Vibrio cholerae infection as well as responses to oral cholera vaccines.
Cryptosporidiosis
Cryptosporidiosis, also known as “Crypto”, is a parasitic disease caused by Cryptosporidium, a microscopic protozoan parasite.
CERID’s work on Cryptosporidiosis focuses on target-based drug discovery and development.
Cystoisosporiasis
Cystoisosporiasis is an intestinal disease of humans caused by the coccidian parasite Cystoisospora belli.
CERID’s work on Cystoisosporiasis focuses on target-based drug discovery and development.
E
Enteritis
Enteritis refers to inflammation of the small intestine caused by the ingestion of substances contaminated with pathogens.
G
Giardiasis
Giardiasis is a diarrheal illness caused by Giardia, a microscopic parasite found on surfaces or in soil, food or water.
CERID’s work on Giardiasis focuses on target-based drug discovery and development.
Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by infection with the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium.
CERID is working to combat Neisseria resistance by developing novel drug leads through a structural-based drug design pipeline in collaboration with the Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID).
H
Hepatitis C Virus
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a serious disease that can cause long-term health problems, even death.
CERID’s studies aim to define the virus and host components that control HCV infection outcome and liver disease.
Herpes Simplex Virus
Herpes simplex virus 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), are two members of the herpes virus family, Herpesviridae, that infect humans.
CERID’s work in this area is focused on vaccine development.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus (slowly replicating retrovirus) that weakens the immune system.
HIV research at CERID is focused on disease pathogenesis and genetic susceptibility.
I
Immunomodulatory Therapy
Immunomodulatory therapy targets immune pathways to treat disease.
CERID is working to augment phagocyte-mediated host defense for treatment of infectious disease.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term for two conditions (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) that are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Influenza A Virus
Influenza, also known as the flu, is a contagious viral infection that attacks the respiratory system – Influenza A is the most serious and prone to widespread outbreaks and disease.
CERID is working to improve understanding of innate immunity to viral infections.
Innate Immunity
Innate immunity is the first and most ancient line of defense against pathogens.
CERID is collaborating with laboratory leaders to develop effective antiviral immunotherapeutic agents to enhance intracellular innate immunity and control infection.
L
Legionnaires’ Disease
Legionnaires' disease, or Legionellosis, is caused by exposure to a bacterium that is found in water and soil. It ranges in severity from a mild influenza-like illness to a serious and sometimes fatal form of pneumonia.
CERID researchers use immunologic, bioinformatic, genetic, cellular and molecular methods to study the innate immune response to Legionella pneumophila.
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by protozoan parasites and is transmitted by the bite of a certain species of sand fly.
CERID’s research concentrates on drug discovery for Leishmania species (the cause of leishmaniasis).
Leprosy & Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria
Leprosy (also known as Hansen’s disease) is an infection caused by slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are organisms found in soil and water that can infect the airways and lung tissue.
M
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by the parasite Plasmodium.
CERID’s research on Malaria includes immunology, diagnostics and clinical trials to test new drugs and vaccines.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma & Merkel Cell Polyoma Virus
Merkel cell carcinoma is a very rare and aggressive skin cancer typically caused by the Merkel cell polyomavirus.
Merkel cell carcinoma research at CERID is focused on disease genetic susceptibility and vaccine development.
Mycoplasma Genitalium
Mycoplasma genitalium is a bacterial infection that causes several sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as urethritis in men and cervicitis in women.
CERID research includes structural genomic studies through the Van Voorhis’ lab’s affiliated project, Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease.
N
Naegleria
Naegleria fowleri (commonly referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba”) is a free-living microscopic amoeba.
CERID's work involves structural genomic studies through the Van Voorhis’ lab’s affiliated project, Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease and in collaboration with the Kyle lab at University of Georgia.
Neosporosis
Neosporosis is a disease caused by Neospora caninum, a microscopic protozoan parasite with worldwide distribution.
Newcastle Disease
Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a neurotropic paramyxovirus closely related to measles virus and canine distemper virus.
CERID is working with colleagues to develop an accessible method of distributing NDV vaccine to low-resource and backyard poultry farmers around the world.
P
Phagocyte Biology
Phagocyte biology is the study of phagocytic cells that can protect against bacteria and harmful foreign particles.
Plasmodium/Malaria
Plasmodium malariae is a human malaria parasite species that, if untreated, can cause a long-lasting chronic infection.
CERID researchers are studying animals and humans immunized with Plasmodium sporozoites to create more effective vaccines.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer, cancer that starts in the prostate, is the second most common cancer in American men behind skin cancer.
CERID’s prostate cancer research is focused on kinase targeted therapeutics and better understanding the molecular pathways involved in metastasis.
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas infection is caused by strains of bacteria found widely in the environment; the most common type causing infections in humans is called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
CERID is investigating immunologic mechanisms of disease pathogenesis with an emphasis on genetic, cellular and molecular studies of the human innate immune response.
R
Regulatory Biomarker Qualification
Qualification of a biomarker means that within a stated context of use (COU), the biomarker has been demonstrated to reliably support a specified manner of interpretation and application in drug development.
CERID researchers are monitoring a biomarker to indicate the presence and amount of Plasmodium falciparum in erythrocytes.
S
Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis is an infection caused by consumption of foods containing Salmonella bacteria.
Sepsis
Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection; it is a life-threatening medical emergency.
Shigellosis
Shigellosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria called Shigella.
CERID is working to establish a mouse model of infection to allow for better understanding of clinical pathology and for the testing of new therapeutics.
Smallpox & Other Orthopoxviruses
Smallpox is an infectious disease caused by the Variola virus, genus Orthopoxvirus. Other members of this genus that cause infection in humans are vaccinia virus, monkeypox virus, and cowpox virus.
Staphylococcus & Streptococcus
Staphylococcus and Streptococcus are genera of Gram-positive bacteria.
T
T Cell Epitope Discovery
The identification of novel T cell antigens is central to basic and translational research in autoimmunity, tumor immunology, transplant immunology, and vaccine design for infectious disease.
CERID is working to develop and optimize high throughput techniques for genome-wide screening of candidate T cell antigens for vaccine development.
T Cell Receptor Biology
T-cell receptors (TCRs) initiate the cellular immune response by responding to foreign antigens presented on the surface of antigen-presenting cells.
Theileria Parva
Theileria parva is a highly pathogenic tick-borne intracellular protozoan parasite of cattle.
CERID is performing proof-of-principle experiments in mice testing a rapid synthetic “minigene” technology for highly parallel synthesis of multi-antigen DNA vaccines, an approach that could support discovery of vaccine subunits.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a common infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
TB research at CERID is focused on immune response to TB, pathogenesis, and vaccine development.
Typhoid Fever
Typhoid is a common disease transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Salmonella enterica.
V
Varicella Zoster Virus
The varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a herpesvirus belonging to the subfamily of Alphaherpesviridae.
Vascular Leak
Vascular leak syndrome (VLS) is a serious side effect of immunotherapy that can cause interstitial edema and organ failure.
Viral Infections
Viral infections are caused by viruses, tiny germs made of genetic material inside a protein coating.
W
West Nile Virus
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic arbovirus that can cause a fatal neurological disease in humans.
Z
Zika Virus
Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes mosquitoes, which bite during the day.