Gonzalez-Juarrero Lab

The Gonzalez-Juarrero laboratory focuses on the immune pathogenesis and development of aerosol therapies for mycobacterial diseases with primary emphasis on tuberculosis (TB) and non-tuberculous (NTM) diseases. Specifically, we want to understand how to enhance the antimicrobial activity in the infected host and characterize how these therapies affect the immunopathology of the disease, with an end goal of improved treatment therapies against multidrug-resistant infections.

We have developed several experimental animal models that allows for testing of aerosolized anti-TB and anti-NTM drugs. We test for efficacy, toxicity and pharmacokinetics of immunomodulators/antibiotics and study the temporal and spatial relationships of immune biomarkers during the stages of disease and therapy. Studies are done by a team of research scientists in close collaboration with other scientists in the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories and serve to build a new generation of scientists by training graduate and undergraduate students.

Publications

Next-generation rifamycins for the treatment of mycobacterial infections.
Dartois V, Lan T, Ganapathy US, Wong CF, Sarathy JP, Jimenez DC, Alshiraihi IM, Lam H, Rodriguez S, Xie M, Soto-Ojeda M, Jackson M, Wheat W, Dillman NC, Kostenkova K, Schmitt J, Mann L, Richter A, Imming P, Sarathy J, Kaya F, Paruchuri S, Tatek B, Folvar C, Proietto J, Zimmerman M, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Aldrich CC, Dick T. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 May 6;122(18):e2423842122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2423842122. Epub 2025 May 1. PMID: 40310456

Preparation of Agar Bead Embedded Mycobacterium abscessus to Inoculate Immunocompetent Mice Intratracheally.
Proietto J, Tatek B, Folvar C, Jimenez DC, Alshiraihi IM, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Saliu F, Vacca F, Cirillo DM, Lore N, Dick T, Dartois V, Aragaw WW. J Vis Exp. 2025 Apr 25;(218). doi: 10.3791/67602. PMID: 40354234

C3HeB/FeJ mice with chronic Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary infection exhibit impaired respiratory function but not necrotising granulomatous disease.
Shaw TD, Pearce CM, Lam H, Alshiraihi IM, Dutt T, Obregon-Henao A, Henao-Tamayo M, Jackson M, Gonzalez-Juarrero M. Mycobacteria. 2025;1(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s44350-025-00004-7. Epub 2025 May 15. PMID: 40386578

The DosR regulon of Mycobacterium avium and adaptation to hypoxia.
Belardinelli JM, Avanzi C, Martin KE, Lam H, Dragset MS, Wheat WH, Podell BK, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Jackson M. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2025 Feb 18;15:1545856. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2025.1545856. eCollection 2025. PMID: 40041152

A modified BPaL regimen for tuberculosis treatment replaces linezolid with inhaled spectinamides.
Zohaib Ali M, Dutt TS, MacNeill A, Walz A, Pearce C, Lam H, Philp JS, Patterson J, Henao-Tamayo M, Lee R, Liu J, Robertson GT, Hickey AJ, Meibohm B, Gonzalez Juarrero M. Elife. 2024 Oct 8;13:RP96190. doi: 10.7554/eLife.96190. PMID: 39378165

more publications

People

Mercedes Gonzalez-Juarrero
Mercedes Gonzalez-Juarrero, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator [PI]
Professor

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Ilham Alshiraihi, Ph.D.

Research Scientist I

Zohaib Ali Headshot
Zohaib Ali, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

Camron Pearce
Camron Pearce, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

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Ha Lam

Research Associate II

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Diana Jimenez

Research Associate I

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Lexi Engler

Student Researcher

Sami Kupfner
Samantha Kupfner

Student Researcher

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Chloe Rojas

Student Researcher

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Casey Valade

Student Researcher

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Rory Wollan

Student Researcher

Abigail headshot
Abigail Godelfer

Lab Assistant

Image of foamy macrophages from the granuloma of a mouse lung infected with Mtb. The lipids are fluorescent red, the bacilli green, and the cell nuclei are stained blue.

Immunohistochemistry showing IL-10 expression (brown) in Mtb infected lung tissue.

Multiplex immunohistochemistry for different cellular markers in and around a necrotic granuloma.

Multiplex immunohistochemistry in the lung tissue section from a balb/c mouse with Mtb. Each unique color is indicative of a unique cell type.

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contact information

Lab: Microbiology room B230
Office: Microbiology room C223

Office: (970) 491-7306, Lab: (970) 491-1628