The Gonzalez-Juarrero laboratory, part of the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, 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.
People
contact information
Lab: Microbiology room B230
Office: Microbiology room C223
Office: (970) 491-7306, Lab: (970) 491-1628
mercedes.gonzalez-juarrero@colostate.edu