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David S. McNabb Office: SCEN 526 |
Degrees:
Ph.D. Louisiana State Univ. Medical School, 1992Research Interests:
The major focus of my research is to understand the molecular mechanisms by which Candida albicans causes infection in humans. C. albicans is the most frequently encountered fungal pathogen in humans, and is responsible for both mucocutaneous and and systemic infections. The incidence of Candida infections has been rising in recent years primarily in immunocompromised individuals. At the same time, the rise in drug resistance, as well as the inherent toxicities of certain antifungal therapies, makes it imperative to search for novel treatment approaches. Our goal is to evaluate whether the CCAAT-binding factor in C. albicans may serve as an antifungal drug target. The CCAAT-binding factor is a heterooligomeric transcriptional activator. Our current studies are focused on three main objectives: 1) to generate mutants in the genes encoding the various subunits of the CCAAT-binding factor and evaluate their phenotypes; 2) to determine whether the CCAAT-binding factor is important in C. albicans virulence using the mouse model; and 3) to dissect the regulatory function of the CCAAT-binding factor using standard molecular techniques.
Academic Interests:
Regulation of eukaryotic gene expression, protein structure-function relationship, protein-DNA interactions, and novel technologies for molecular genetic studies in eukaryotes.Lab Website:
Click here to go to Dr. McNabb's lab website.
Recent Publications:
McNabb, D.S., R.M. Reed, and R.A. Marciniak. 2005. A dual luciferase assay
system for the rapid assessment of gene expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Eukaryotic Cell
4:1539-1549.
Fologea, D., J. Uplinger, B. Thomas, D.S. McNabb, and J. Li.
2005. Slowing DNA translocation in a solid state nanopore. Nanoletters
5:1734-1737.
Johnson, D.C., K.E. Cano, E.C. Kroger, and D.S. McNabb.
2005. Identification of a novel function for the CCAAT-binding factor in Candida albicans. Eukaryotic Cell
4:1662-1676.
Fologea, D., M. Gershow, B. Ledden, D.S. McNabb,
J.A.Golovchenko, and J. Li. 2005. Detecting pH denatured DNA with a solid state
nanopore. Nanoletters 5:1905-1909.
McNabb, D.S. and I. Pinto. 2005.
Assembly of the Hap2p/Hap3p/Hap4p/Hap5p-DNA complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Eukaryotic Cell
4:1829-1839.
Fologea, D., B. Ledden, D.S. McNabb, and J. Li. 2007. Electrical characterization of protein molecules in a solid-state nanopore. Applied Physics Letters 91:053901.