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

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

Spectinamide MBX-4888A exhibits favorable lesion and tissue distribution and promotes treatment shortening in advanced murine models of tuberculosis.
Bauman AA, Sarathy JP, Kaya F, Massoudi LM, Scherman MS, Hastings C, Liu J, Xie M, Brooks EJ, Ramey ME, Jones IL, Benedict ND, Maclaughlin MR, Miller-Dawson JA, Waidyarachchi SL, Butler MM, Bowlin TL, Zimmerman MD, Lenaerts AJ, Meibohm B, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Lyons MA, Dartois V, Lee RE, Robertson GT. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2024 Nov 6;68(11):e0071624. doi: 10.1128/aac.00716-24. Epub 2024 Sep 30. PMID: 39345140

Preclinical murine models for the testing of antimicrobials against Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary infections: Current practices and recommendations.
Dartois V, Bonfield TL, Boyce JP, Daley CL, Dick T, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Gupta S, Kramnik I, Lamichhane G, Laughon BE, Lorè NI, Malcolm KC, Olivier KN, Tuggle KL, Jackson M. Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2024 Jul;147:102503. doi: 10.1016/j.tube.2024.102503. Epub 2024 Mar 19. PMID: 38729070

Lipoarabinomannan modification as a source of phenotypic heterogeneity in host-adapted Mycobacterium abscessus isolates.
De K, Belardinelli JM, Pandurangan AP, Ehianeta T, Lian E, Palčeková Z, Lam H, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Bryant JM, Blundell TL, Parkhill J, Floto RA, Lowary TL, Wheat WH, Jackson M. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Apr 23;121(17):e2403206121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2403206121. Epub 2024 Apr 17. PMID: 38630725

Impact of Methylthioxylose Substituents on the Biological Activities of Lipomannan and Lipoarabinomannan in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Palčeková Z, De K, Angala SK, Gilleron M, Zuberogoitia S, Gouxette L, Soto-Ojeda M, Gonzalez-Juarrero M, Obregón-Henao A, Nigou J, Wheat WH, Jackson M. ACS Infect Dis. 2024 Apr 12;10(4):1379-1390. doi: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00079. Epub 2024 Mar 21. PMID: 38511206

more publications

People

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

Principal Investigator [PI]
Professor

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Ilham Alshiraihi, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Fellow

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.

contact information

Lab: Microbiology room B230
Office: Microbiology room C223

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