(2014)
Modulation of phagosomal pH by Candida albicans promotes hyphal morphogenesis and requires Stp2p, a regulator of amino acid transport.
PLOS Pathog 10(3),
e1003995.
Curriculum vitae
Main Research Areas
- Molecular links between metabolism and virulence in pathogenic Candida spp.
- Role of intra and inter-species metabolic signals in establishment of microbial communities
- Candidiasis infection models
Professional Career
| since 2016 | JRG leader, JRG Host Fungal Interfaces, ZIK Septomics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena |
| 2014-2016 | Assistant Professor-Research, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA |
| 2012-2016 | Adjunct Faculty, University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, TX, USA |
| 2013-2014 | Senior Research Associate, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA |
| 2007-2013 | Post-doctoral fellow, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA |
| 2007 | Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA |
| 2006-2007 | Research Assistant (Postdoc), Ottawa Health Research institute, Centre for Cancer Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada |
| 2002-2006 | Research Assistant, State University of New York at Buffalo, Department of Oral Biology, Buffalo, NY, USA |
| 2004 | M.Sc., State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA |
| 2004 | Research Assistant, State University of New York at Buffalo, Physiology Department Buffalo, NY, USA |
| 2001 | M.Sc., Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria |
Awards · Appointments · Scientific Activities
| since 2021 | Editor, Microbiology Spectrum |
| since 2018 | Editor, Frontiers in Microbiology |
| 2014 | Judge Travel Grant, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, San Antonio, TX, USA |
| 2014 | ISHAM Young Fellow Travel Award, American society for Microbiology, 12th ASM Conference on Candida and Candidiasis, New Orleans, LA, USA |
| 2011 | Office of the Dean of McGovern Medical School Postdoctoral Fellow Travel Grant, University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Houston, TX, USA |
Publications
(2011)
The fungal pathogen Candida albicans autoinduces hyphal morphogenesis by raising extracellular pH.
MBio 2(3),
e00055.
(2009)
Conservation and dispersion of sequence and function in fungal TRK potassium transporters: focus on Candida albicans.
FEMS Yeast Res 9(2),
278-292.
(2008)
Role of acetyl coenzyme A synthesis and breakdown in alternative carbon source utilization in Candida albicans.
Eukaryot Cell 7(10),
1733-1741.
(2007)
Histatin 5 initiates osmotic stress response in Candida albicans via activation of the Hog1 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.
Eukaryot Cell 6(10),
1876-1888.
(2007)
Human beta-defensins kill Candida albicans in an energy-dependent and salt-sensitive manner without causing membrane disruption.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 51(1),
154-161.
(2007)
The role of released ATP in killing Candida albicans and other extracellular microbial pathogens by cationic peptides.
Purinergic Signal 3(1-2),
91-97.
(2006)
Distinct antifungal mechanisms: beta-defensins require Candida albicans Ssa1 protein, while Trk1p mediates activity of cysteine-free cationic peptides.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother 50(1),
324-331.
(2004)
The TRK1 potassium transporter is the critical effector for killing of Candida albicans by the cationic protein, Histatin 5.
J Biol Chem 279(53),
55060-55072.
(2003)
Killing of Candida albicans by human salivary histatin 5 is modulated, but not determined, by the potassium channel TOK1.
Infect Immun 71(6),
3251-3260.
