Faculty: Claudio Cortes, DVM, PhD

Summary: Dr. Cortes' research interests are focused on defining the mechanism used by Chlamydia pneumoniae to exploit a number of host cell processes, including the usage of host Rab GTPases that participate in membrane-trafficking pathways, in order to invade and survive inside the host cell. In addition, his studies are aimed at identifying the mechanism by which the complement system controls Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and affects chlamydial pathogenesis.

Research Interests: Chlamydia pneumoniae-host interaction: mechanisms of invasion and host protective responses.

Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that develop in a host cell within a membrane-bound compartment termed an inclusion. In humans, Chlamydia pneumoniae, causes diseases of the respiratory tract e.g. bronchitis, sinusitis, or pneumonia, with potential sequelae that include atherosclerosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Our research focuses on defining the mechanism used by Chlamydia pneumoniae to exploit a number of host cell processes, including the usage of host Rab GTPases that participate in membrane-trafficking pathways, in order to invade and survive inside the host cell. In addition, our studies are aimed at identifying the mechanism by which the complement system controls Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and affects chlamydial pathogenesis. The identification of host and pathogen components used during the infection, as well as the mechanisms used by the host to kill the pathogen, are key elements necessary for the generation of therapeutic strategies against chlamydial infection.
Dr. Cortes received his D.V.M. degree from The University of Chile. After research training at New York University under the direction of Dr. Ruth Nussenzweig, Dr. Cortes returned to Chile and obtained his Ph.D. in 2004 from the University of Chile, under the supervision of Dr. Maria Rosa Bono. He completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Texas in the laboratories of Drs. Benjamin Wizel and Michael Pangburn. Dr. Cortes joined the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in July, 2009.