(2019)
Role of amino acid metabolism in the virulence of human pathogenic fungi.
Curr Clin Micro Rpt 6(9),
108-119.
(Review)
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
(2017)
Environmental pH modulation by pathogenic fungi as a strategy to conquer the host.
PLOS Pathog 13(2),
e1006149.
(Review)
(2017)
Phagosomal neutralization by the fungal pathogen Candida albicans induces macrophage pyroptosis.
Infect Immun 85(2),
e00832-16.
(2016)
Robust extracellular pH modulation by Candida albicans during growth in carboxylic acids.
mBio 7(6),
e01646-16.
(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.
(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.
