Education
University of Leicester (U.K.), Ph.D. 2001

Biography
Dr. Palmer graduated with a BSc degree in Genetics from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, in 1997. In 2001 he graduated with a PhD from the Genetics department of the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. From 2001 to 2004 he conducted postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Joy Sturtevant, at both Georgetown University in Washington DC, and at LSUHSC, New Orleans. In 2004 Dr. Palmer was promoted to Assistant Professor within the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, LSUHSC, New Orleans.  In 2008, he transferred to the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Biology at LSUHSC School of Dentistry in New Orleans. He maintains a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology.

Research Interests
Candida albicans is the most prevalent fungal pathogen of humans. It is the cause of mucosal infections in the oral cavity and reproductive tracts, as well as lethal disseminated infections of the deeper organs. Existing antifungal treatments can be problematic due to patient toxicity and the emergence of resistant fungal strains. Research in the Palmer lab focuses on the role played by the fungal vacuole during infection, using Candida albicans as a model pathogen.

Analysis of vacuolar function is achieved using a combination of molecular, genetic and cell biology methods. Dr. Palmer’s lab has constructed a range of C. albicans strains deficient in different trafficking pathways to the vacuole, and analyzed the consequences on C. albicans pathogenesis. These studies suggest that the vacuole may support pathogenesis on two levels: First by helping C. albicans resist attack by the hosts immune system; and second by supporting polarized hyphal growth, which is required for tissue invasion. This makes the fungal vacuole an attractive target for the development of new antifungal therapies. Ongoing studies will determine the mechanism by which vacuolar trafficking supports invasive hyphal growth, and survival within host tissue.

Dr. Palmer’ research is supported as part of the School of Dentistry’s COBRE program grant, awarded to Dr. Paul Fidel (P20RR020160) from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Research Interests--Keywords
Pathogenesis, Candida albicans, membrane trafficking, vacuole

Teaching Activities
Co-director MIP231 “Molecular Biology of Eukaryotic Pathogens”
Co-director Dental Hygiene “Microbiology and Immunology”
Lecture on interdisciplinary CMB-A “Cell Biology”
Lecture on “Dental Microbiology and Immunology’ course”

Selected Publications
Johnston DA, Eberle KE, Sturtevant J.E., Palmer GE. 2009. A role for Vacuolar and Endosomal GTPases in Candida albicans pathogenesis. Infection and Immunity, 77:2343-2355.

Palmer GE, Askew DS, Williamson P. 2008.  The diverse roles of autophagy in medically important fungi. Autophagy 4:982-998.

Palmer GE, Kelly MN, Sturtevant JE.  2007.  Autophagy in the pathogen Candida albicans.  Microbiology 153:51-58.

Palmer GE, Kelly MN, Sturtevant J.  2005.  The Candida albicans vacuole is required for differentiation and efficient macrophage killing.  Eukaryotic Cell 4:677-686.

Palmer GE, Cashmore A, Sturtevant J.  2003.  Germtube formation in Candida albicans is dependent on vacuole function. Eukaryotic Cell 2:411-421.