Faculty Directory
Trevor M Darby, MSc, PhD
Post Doctoral Scholar,
Department of Pediatrics
EMAIL: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
PHONE: 404-712-2817
Research
I have a comprehensive background in mucosal immunology, with specific training and expertise in key research areas relevant to for this application. My doctoral thesis, which was undertaken at the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) (institutional H-index of 83), University College Cork, Ireland under the tutelage of Prof. Fergus Shanahan, a world renowned leader in the field of IBD (H-index of 102), focused on the molecular analysis of infection mechanisms associated with Escherichia coli. In particular, we identified pro-survival responses in intestinal epithelial cells upon infection of Crohn’s Disease-associated E. coli as well an altered inflammasomes profile within the epithelium. Other data generated from our work was the discovery of the Pellino3 protein as a critical mediator of NOD2 pathway signaling. These results have formed the basis of a publication in the high impact journal Nature Immunology. Further collaborations that I undertook during my Ph.D studies contributed key data to a number of IBD-related research publications. Together, my expertise in molecular cell biology techniques, and my experience in working with clinically relevant murine models of infection, will contribute essential expertise to the research proposed in this application.
After completing my PhD studies, I began my Postdoctoral studies within Dr Rheinallt Jones’ research group in the Department of Pathology, Emory University. The goal of our research is to identify molecular mechanisms involved in epithelial homeostasis. Specifically, we plan to identify roles for physiological ROS generation from gut-expressed NADPH oxidases (Nox enzymes) in normal gut development.