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DBSP Faculty

Dr. Yasuhiro Suzuki

Yasuhiro Suzuki, PhD, DMSc

Associate Professor
Molecular Immunology
Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology
 
e-mail: ysuzuki@vt.edu
Capsule Biography (PDF)

Education

1989 D.M.Sc.
Jikei University, Tokyo, Japan
1982 Ph.D.
Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan
1976 B.S.
Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan

Research Interests

My laboratory has been investigating the mechanism of host-pathogen interactions in infection with Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite. Our recent focus of research is the molecular immunopathogenesis of cerebral toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmic encephalitis (TE) has been a major opportunistic infectious disease in immunocompromised patients, such as those with AIDS and organ transplant recipients. In addition, TE is an excellent model for analyzing the mechanism of host defense in the brain. We have developed murine models of TE and found three factors critical in determining the host resistance to this disease. These are: IFN-g-mediated immune response, the genetic background of the host, and the strain of T. gondii. We are trying to obtain understanding of the molecular basis of host resistance to development of TE, by defining how the IFN-g-mediated immune response functions in the brain and how the genetic background of the host and the strain of T. gondii affect the immune response.

For more information, please see Dr. Suzuki's Immunology Lab web site.

Professional Experience

2001-present Associate Professor
Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Deseases (CMMID)
Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology
Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
1998-2001 Consulting Assistant Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
1993-2001 Senior Research Associate
Research Institute, Palo Alto Medical Foundation
Palo Alto, CA
1994-1997 Senior Research Associate
Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine
Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA
1993-1994 Research Associate
Division of Infectious Diseases and Geoggraphic Medicine
Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stanford, CA

Professional Memberships

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science
  • American Association of Immunologists
  • American Society for Microbiology
  • American Society of Parasitologists
  • Federation of American Society for Experimental Biology