Education
Pennsylvania
State
University,
BS, 2005
University of
Maryland-Baltimore,
PhD, 2010
Biography
Dr. Brian
Peters
received his
Bachelor of
Science in
Microbiology
from the
Pennsylvania
State
University in
2005. He then
received his
PhD from the
University of
Maryland—Baltimore
in 2010, where
he studied
bacterial-fungal
biofilm-mediated
interactions
in the
laboratory of
Dr. Mark
Shirtliff. Dr.
Peters then
trained as a
postdoctoral
fellow in the
lab of Dr.
Mairi Noverr
in the Dept.
of Oral
Biology at
LSUHSC, where
he further
explored
polymicrobial
interactions
in the context
of host innate
immunity.
Currently, Dr.
Peters
continues to
study innate
immunity with
special
emphasis on
polymicrobial
disease as an
Assistant
Professor –
Research in
the Noverr
lab.
Research
Interests
Dr. Peters'
current
research
interests
focus on using
the ubiquitous
bacterial
pathogen Staphylococcus
aureus
and the
opportunistic
fungus Candida
albicans
as model
organisms for
studying the
pathogenesis
of
polymicrobial
disease.
Although
microbes are
commonly found
living as
complex
consortia in
the
environment
and on the
human host,
relatively
little is
known about
how microbes
interact and
the
consequences
of these
interactions
on human
health and
disease.
Therefore, the
overall goal
of Dr. Peters’
research is to
elucidate the
mechanisms by
which microbes
can synergize
their
virulence
resulting in
augmented
disease.
Our lab
currently uses
a mouse model
of
polymicrobial
peritonitis to
study C.
albicans-S.
aureus
interactions in
vivo.
Monomicrobial
infections
with either C.
albicans
or S.
aureus
alone are
non-lethal.
However,
co-infections
with these
same doses
result in
rapid
mortality. Our
lab has
identified
that the
immunomodulatory
oxylipin,
prostaglandin
E2 (PGE2)
plays a major
role in
mediating
mortality in
co-infected
mice.
Pharmacologic
intervention
with the
cyclooxygenase
inhibitor
indomethacin
protects mice
from lethal
peritonitis,
and may
provide
insight into
potential
novel
therapies for
peritoneal
infections.
Current
experiments
seek to
elucidate the
role of
staphylococcal
toxin
secretion and
oxylipin
signaling
during
polymicrobial
disease.
An exciting
new project in
our lab
focuses on the
host innate
signaling
mechanisms
resulting in
the hallmark
PMN response
during Candida
vaginitis. In
collaboration
with the Fidel
lab, we are
interested in
exploring
inflammasome
function
during Candida
vaginitis and
modulation of
this pathway
as a novel
immunotherapeutic
approach
against such
infections.
Ongoing
studies aim to
define the
role of
morphogenesis
and associated
fungal
virulence
factors
involved in
this
immunopathological
response.
Further
research seeks
to expand
these findings
to
polymicrobial
models of
disease.
Research
Interests--Keywords
Candida
albicans,
Staphylococcus
aureus,
biofilm,
polymicrobial,
vaginitis,
inflammasome,
prostaglandin
Teaching
Activities
School of
Dentistry:
Methods in
Research,
Dental Rounds
Selected
Publications
Peters
BM,
Yano J, Noverr
MC, Fidel PL
Jr. Candida
vaginitis:
when
opportunism
knocks, the
host responds.
PLoS
Pathogens.
In press,
2014.
Yano J,
Palmer GE,
Eberle KE, Peters
BM,
Vogl T,
McKenzie AN,
Fidel PL Jr.
Vaginal
epithelial
cell-derived
S100 alarmins
induced by C.
albicans
via pattern
recognition
receptor
interactions
is sufficient
but not
necessary for
the acute
neutrophil
response
during
experimental
vaginal
candidiasis. Infect
Immun.
2014
Feb;82(2):783-92.
Peters
BM,
Palmer GE,
Nash AK, Lilly
EA, Fidel PL
Jr, Noverr MC.
Fungal
morphogenetic
pathways are
required for
the hallmark
inflammatory
response
during Candida
vaginitis. Infect
Immun.
2014
Feb;82(2)532-43.
Peters
BM
and Noverr MC.
Candida
albicans-Staphylococcus
aureus
polymicrobial
peritonitis
modulates host
innate
immunity. Infect
Immun.
2013
Jun;81(6):2178-89.
PMCID:
PMC3676024.
Peters
BM,
Ward RM, Rane
HS, Lee SA,
Noverr MC.
Efficacy of
ethanol
against Candida
albicans
and Staphylococcus
aureus
polymicrobial
biofilms. Antimicrob
Agents
Chemother.
2013
Jan;57(1):74-82.
PMCID:
PMC3535989.
Peters
BM,
Jabra-Rizk MA,
Hoyer LL, Krom
BP, Meijering
R, Shirtliff
ME.
Cross-Kingdom
polymicrobial
biofilm
communities:
S. aureus
adherence to C.
albicans
hyphae is
mediated by
the hyphal
adhesin Als3p.
Microbiology.
2012
Dec;158(Pt
12):2975-86.
Peters
BM,
O’May GA,
Jabra-Rizk MA,
Costerton JW,
Shirtliff ME.
Polymicrobial
interactions:
impact on
pathogenesis
and human
disease. Clin
Microbiol Rev.
Jan;25(1):192-213,
2012:
PMCID:
PMC3255964.
Peters
BM,
Jabra-Rizk MA,
Leid JG,
Costerton JW,
Shirtliff ME.
Microbial
interactions
and
differential
protein
expression
within Candida
albicans-Staphylococcus
aureus
polymicrobial
biofilms. FEMS
Immunol Med
Microbiol.
Aug:59(3):493-503,
2010. PMCID:
PMC2936118.
Peters
BM,
Zhu J, Scheper
MA, Hackett W,
Al Shaye S,
Fidel Jr., PL,
Jabra-Rizk MA.
Efficacy of
histatin-5
against Candida
albicans
in an ex
vivo
murine model
of oral
infection. FEMS
Yeast Res.
Aug:10(5):597-604.
PMCID:
PMC2921938.