Infectious Disease Research at PCOM
In light of the recent global COVID-19 pandemic, the significance of infectious agents
and newly emerging microbes has become apparent. However, infectious diseases resulting
from viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria have long been a major cause of human
morbidity and mortality.
In addition to high mortality rates and lasting symptoms from COVID-19, infections
with viruses such as influenza claim tens of thousands of lives each year in the United
States alone. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotic resistant bacteria
are one of the biggest threats to global health. Emergence of new infectious diseases
and exploitation of infectious microbes as bioterrorism agents also emphasizes the
need for research in the area of infectious diseases.
The goal of PCOM researchers is to understand mechanisms infectious agents employ
to infect humans, identify new strategies to prevent, treat and cure infectious diseases,
and overcome vaccine hesitancy to control the spread of infectious diseases. Our investigators
also study the contributions of infectious agents to Alzheimer’s disease and failure
of implanted devices.