School of Dentistry

Education
University of Oklahoma, Ph.D. 1988

Biography
Dr. Fidel received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Allegheny College in Pennsylvania in 1984. He then received his Master of Science and PhD degrees in Microbiology from the University of Oklahoma in 1987 and 1988, respectively. Dr. Fidel conducted postdoctoral training in the lab of Dov Boros in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. He accepted a position of Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1990. Dr. Fidel came to LSUHSC in 1995 as an associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology. He was promoted to Professor in 1999 and named the Carl Baldridge Research Professor and Director of the Center of Excellence in Oral and Craniofacial Biology, Associate Dean for Research in 2001. He was named interim chair of the new Department of Oral and Craniofacial Biology in 2007 and permanent chair of the department in 2008.

He has served as Principal Investigator of a $10.7 million Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant from the NIH (National Center for Research Resources-NCRR) for the dental school to develop promising junior faculty into independent researchers. He has also served as Principal Investigator of the $3.35 million grant from the LA Board of Regents to establish a South Louisiana Institute of Infectious Disease Research.

Research Interests
The Fidel laboratories have been funded under several sources from the NIH, including the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Studies in the Fidel laboratory focus on host defense against mucosal infections caused by the fungus, Candida albicans. Research in vaginal candidiasis is in both humans and animal models. The research has recently revealed a paradigm shift away from adaptive immune deficiencies as a cause of infection to innate immune mechanisms playing a role in both susceptibility and resistance to infection. Research in oral candidiasis is focused in HIV-infected individuals. This research is focused on the protective role of CD8 T cells and the role of the oral microbiome in the pathogenesis of disease. In addition oral and vaginal epithelial cell antifungal immune mechanisms are being studied.

Research Interests--Keywords
Mucosal immunology
Mucosal candidiasis
Iimmunopathogenesis of recurrent vaginal or oral candidiasis
Oral microbiome in HIV disease

Selected Publications

Yano, J. M.C. Noverr, P.L. Fidel, Jr. (2017) Heparan sulfate linked to neutrophil dysfunction in the acute inflammatory response associated with experimental vulvovaginal candidiasis MBio 8(2):  211-217.

Yano, J., B. Peters, M.C. Noverr, P.L. Fidel, Jr. (2017) A novel mechanism behind the immunopathogenesis of vulvovaginal candidiasis:  "Neutrophil Anergy". Infect. Immun. 86(3):  e00684-17.

Herman, J.L., Y. Wang, E. Lilly, T. Lallier, S. Hamdan, X. Xu, P.L. Fidel, Jr., M.C. Noverr. (2017). Synthesis, antifungal activity, and biocompatibility of novel DABCO compounds and DABCO-containing denture base resins. Antimicrob. Agents. Chemother. 61(4):  2575-2587

Lilly, E.A., M. Ikeh, E. Nash, P.L. Fidel, Jr., M.C. Noverr. (2018) Immune Protection against Lethal Outcome of Fungal-Bacterial Intra-Abdominal Infections. mBio 9(1) e01472-17.

Ikeh, M. P.L Fidel, Jr., M.C. Noverr. (2018) Prostaglandin E2 receptor antagonist with antimicrobial activity against methicillin resistant S. aureus. Antimicrob. Agents Chemo. 62(3) e01920-17

Savage, K.A., M. del C. Parquet, D.S. Allan, R.J. Davidson, B.E. Holbein, E.A. Lilly, and P.L. Fidel, Jr. (2018) Iron restriction to clinical isolates of Candida albicans by the novel chelator DIBI inhibits growth and increases sensitivity to azoles in vitro and in vivo in a murine model of experimental vaginitis. Antimicrob. Agents. Chemother. 62(8) e02576-17.

Ikeh, M. P.L. Fidel, Jr., M.C. Noverr (2018). Identification of Specific Components of the Eicosanoid Biosynthetic and Signaling Pathway Involved in pathological inflammation during Intra-abdominal Infection with Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus Infect. Immun. 86(7) e00144-18M

Mascarenhas, F., P, Cabalerro, Q. Yu, J. Townsend, P.L. Fidel, Jr. (2019). Student and faculty perspectives of a faculty-student mentoring program in a dental school. Eur. J. Dent. Educ. 00:1-6

Yano, J., J.D. Sonel, P. Nyirjesy, R. Sobel, V.L. Williams, Q. Yu, M.C. Noverr, P.L. Fidel, Jr. (2019). Current patient perspectives for vulvovaginal candidiasis:  Incidence, symptoms, management and post-treatment outcomes. BMC Women;s Health 19(1):48. doi:10.1186/s12905-019-0748-8.

Yano, J., A. Yu, P.L. Fidel, Jr.*, M.C. Noverr*, (2019). Candida glabrata has no enhancing role in the pathogenesis of Candida-associated denture stomatitis in a rat model. mSphere 4(2). pii: e00191-19. doi:10.1128/mSphere.00191--19.
*Equivalent contribution as senior author