Graduate Student - Ph.D.

Microbiology

University of Washington (Seattle, WA)

Richard P Darveau

I am currently investigating lipid A deacylation as a mechanism of manipulating host innate immunity by Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

My project is to determine how changing the fatty acid composition of the lipid A moiety of bacterial lipopolysaccharide affects the mammalian host innate immune response. It appears that many bacteria are able to alter their lipid A structure by removing fatty acids. This alteration, which has been observed in many different bacterial species--from Porphyromonas gingivalis (associated with periodontitis) to Yersinia pestis (etiologic agent of plague)--antagonizes the host's innate immune response. It has been hypothesized that this antagonism is one pathogenic mechanism by which these bacteria are able to evade the host's innate immune system.

2009-present UW Forum on Science Ethics and Policy (FOSEP)

2007-present Husky Stadium Advisory Committee

2007-present Tutor (Math and science)

2010 Washington Sea Grant Science Writing Fellow

2008 UW Transportation Risk Assessment Committee

2007-2008 Executive Senator, UW Grad/Prof Student Senate

2005-2008 Senator, UW Grad/Professional Student Senate

2005-2006 Teaching Assistant (Microbiology, Genetics)

2003-2004 Weekly Columnist (Daily Egyptian)

2006 Neal B. Groman Award for Excellence in Teaching (Univ. of Washington Dept. of Microbiology)

2005 National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellowship Honorable Mention

2004 Top Scholar Award (Univ. of Washington Dept. of Microbiology)

2000-2004 Dean's List (Southern Illinois University)