Faculty Miller School of Medicine

Primary Faculty

Thomas Malek, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairman of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Thomas Malek received his Ph.D. in 1977 after training with Dr. Katherine Knight at the University of Illinois Medical School in Chicago. After postdoctoral training with Ethan Shevach at the NIH, he joined the faculty of the University of Miami in 1985, where he currently is Professor and Chair in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. His research has a long-standing...
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Arba Ager, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

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Lesley De Armas, Ph.D.

Biography: I was born and raised in Fairfax, VA and graduated from the University of Virginia in 2003 with a BSc in Biology. My scientific career began during undergraduate school in the lab of David Camerini and focused on HIV pathogenesis. My work was involved in generating cell lines that expressed the co-receptors for HIV infection, CCR5 and CXCR4 which I later obtained a patent...
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Bonnie B. Blomberg, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

Biography: Dr. Bonnie B. Blomberg, Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami is a cellular and molecular immunologist doing scientific research on aging and cancer involving inflammation and decreased immune response especially with B (bone marrow-derived) cells in mice and humans. Our laboratory has developed cellular/molecular...
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John Burnett, Ph.D.
Assoc. Professor of Microbiology and Immunology - Pending Rank
Publications
Biography: I graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering and the University of California, Berkeley with a Ph.D. in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. My doctoral training as an engineer and my postdoctoral training in molecular biology and virology prepared me with the knowledge and skills to translate biological tools in the laboratory...
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Zhibin Chen, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Chen is an immunologist. He studies the mechanisms of autoimmune diseases, infection and cancer, to understand the diseases and discover new interventions. His lab focuses on mucosal immunology and cancer immunology. Dr. Chen received his clinical medicine training in Luzhou Medical College (now Southwest Medical University) in China. He obtained his PhD training in...
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Kevin Van der Jeught, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Microbiology & Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Kevin Van der Jeught was born and raised in Brussels, Belgium. In 2012 he graduated Magna Cum Laude in Biomedical Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. He started a PhD in Medical Sciences on the topic « use of mRNA-based adjuvants to stimulate cancer-specific immune responses » at the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Therapy under the...
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Daniela Frasca, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor
Publications
Biography: Born in Italy, I graduated from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” with a BSc University degree in Biology cum laude in May 1980. My scientific career started after my graduation studying the possibility to reconstitute T cell function of mice immunocompromised by aging and/or irradiation using immunoregulatory molecules, such as thymic hormones (thymosin-a1) and cytokines...
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Eli Gilboa, Ph.D.
Dodson Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Gilboa, the Joe Enloe Dodson professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Miami, USA, is known for his pioneering work in gene therapy, HIV/AIDS, and cancer immunotherapy. His group has introduced novel concepts that helped shape these fields; the use of “self-inactivating” retroviral vectors that became a common feature...
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Roland Jurecic, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
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Wasif N. Khan, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
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Robert Levy, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Robert B. Levy is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and member of the Tumor Biology section of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He obtained his MS/PhD at the Ohio State University and completed his post-doctoral training at the Immunology Branch at the NCI, NIH with Dr. Gene Shearer investigating MHC-restricted T cell antigen recognition...
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Mathias G. Lichtenheld, M.D.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
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George P. Munson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
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Savita Pahwa, M.D.
Professor, Microbiology & Immunology
Publications
Biography: I am a Professor in the department of Microbiology and Immunology with secondary appointments in Pediatrics and Medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida, USA. I am a physician scientist, graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College in New Delhi, India. After completing a Pediatric internship and residency, I trained as an immunologist at the Memorial...
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Rajendra N. Pahwa, M.D.
Research Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

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Suresh Pallikkuth, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: I am an immunologist with a background in human and non-human primate (NHP) research. My expertise lies in the immunopathogenesis of infectious diseases and vaccine immunology. Currently, my research is primarily centered on elucidating the mechanisms underlying impaired immune function in the context of aging, with a specific focus on the aging population affected by...
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Richard L. Riley, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
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Kurt Schesser, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: After obtaining my Ph.D. at Oregon State University, I completed my postdoctoral training in host-pathogen interactions under the mentorship of Prof. Hans Wolf-Watz at Ume? University, Sweden. I then held a junior faculty position in the Immunology Section at Lund University, Sweden in which I developed an independent research program. In 2001 I moved to the Department...
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Paolo Serafini, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Paolo Serafini, Ph.D. is a Tenured Associate Professor in Microbiology and Immunology and in Otolaryngology at the University of Miami and the Translational leader of the Head and Neck Site Disease Group at the NCI-designated Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Miami Florida. Dr. Serafini was formally educated with a Laurea (BS and master) in Genetic and Molecular...
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Noula Dattu Shembade, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Noula Shembade is a basic and translational virologist, associate professor tenured at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami (UM). His research focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of pathogenic infection-induced uncontrolled inflammation, which leads to autoimmune diseases...
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Erietta Stelekati, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: I joined the department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Miami as an Assistant Professor in January 2020. My interest in Immunology started early during my undergraduate studies in Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. I joined the Department of Immunopharmacology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, as an exchange student and completed a 9-month...
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Natasa Strbo, M.D., D.Sc.
Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Publications
Biography: Dr. Natasa Strbo is a basic and translational immunologist, assistant professor on a tenure-track at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami. She pioneered research on molecular and cellular mechanisms of heat shock protein gp96 and developed vaccines against emerging infectious diseases and cancer that are based on...
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Alejandro V Villarino, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Publications
Biography: Dr. Villarino was born in Caracas, Venezuela and emigrated to the United States at age 5. Both his primarily and secondary education took place in New Jersey, culminating in a bachelor’s degree from Drew University. His interest in cytokine biology began as a PhD student in the laboratory of Dr. Christopher Hunter at the University of Pennsylvania. There, he first encountered...
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Secondary Faculty

Maria Abreu, M.D.

Chief, Division of Gastroenterology
Professor of Medicine
Professor, Microbiology and Immunology
Office: 305-243-8644
Address: 1011 NW 15th St., Miami, FL 33136
Email: mabreu1@med.miami.edu

Dragana Ajdic, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor, Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and Microbiology and Immunology

Office: 305-243-0475
Address: RMSB Room 2089, 1600 NW 10th Ave., Miami, FL 33136
Email: dajdic@med.miami.edu

Glen N. Barber, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Cell Biology Department, Department of Medicine, and Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Office: 305-243-5914
Address: 1600 NW 10th Avenue, RMSB 4017, Miami, FL 33136
Email: gbarber@med.miami.edu

Defne Bayik, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Email: dxb1440@miami.edu

George W. Burke III, M.D., FACS

Professor, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery

Division: Transplant Surgery
Email: gburke@med.miami.edu

Carolyn Cray, Ph.D.

Clinical Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
Office: 305-243-6700
Address: 1600 NW 10th Ave, RMSB 7101A, Miami FL 33136
Email: CCray@med.miami.edu

Firdaous Dhabhar, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Office: 305-243-7773
Email: fdhabhar@miami.edu

Derek Dykxhoorn, Ph.D.

Research Professor, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Office: 305-243-9881
Address: 406 Biomedical Research Building
Email: egreidinger@med.miami.edu

Eric L. Greidinger, M.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology

Office: 305-243-9881
Address: 1120 NW 14th Street, Miami, FL 33136
Email: egreidinger@med.miami.edu

Dmitry V. Ivanov, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

Office: 305-482-4230
Address: 1638 NW 10th AVE, Miami, Florida 33136
Email: DIvanov@med.miami.edu

Robert W. Keane, Ph.D.

Professor, Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Neurological Surgery

Office: 305-243-5726
Address: 1600 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136
Email: rkeane@miami.edu

Norma Kenyon, Ph.D.

Martin Kleiman Professor of Surgery, Microbiology & Immunology and Biomedical Engineering, Executive Director, Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research, Senior Associate Dean for Translational Science

Office: 305-243-5346
Email: nkenyon@med.miami.edu

Michael A. Kolber, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine, Department of Public Health Science and Microbiology and Immunology

Office: 305-243-4791
Address: 1611 NW 12th Ave, Miami, FL 33136
Email: mkolber@med.miami.edu

Octavio V. Martinez

Research Associate Professor, Tissue Bank

Office: 305-689-1483
Email: omartinez@med.miami.edu

Darlene Miller, D.H.Sc., M.P.H., C.I.C.

Research Professor of Ophthalmology
Scientific Director, Ocular Microbiology Laboratory

Office: 305-326-6034
Address: 900 N.W. 17th Street · Miami, Florida 33136
Email: dmiller@med.miami.edu

Irena Pastar, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor, Dermatology

Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery
Wound Healing and Regenerative Medicine Research Program
University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
1600 NW 10th Ave RMSB R-6056, Miami FL 33136

Phone: 305-689-7032
Fax: 305-243-6191
Email: IPastar@med.miami.edu

Ricardo Pastori, Ph.D.

Research Professor of Medicine, Immunology, and Microbiology and the Director of the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Diabetes Research Institute
Office: 305-243-5349
Email: RPastori@med.miami.edu

Juan C. Ramos, M.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology
Email: jramos2@med.miami.edu

Camillo Ricordi, M.D.

Chief, Division of Cellular Transplantation
Professor of Surgery and Medicine

Office: 305-243-6913
Address: Diabetes Research Institute, 1450 NW 10th Ave, 1st flr, Miami, FL 33136
Email: ricordi@miami.edu

Joseph D. Rosenblatt, M.D.

Chief, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology
William J. Harrington Chair in Hematology

Office: 305-243-4860
Address: Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1475 N.W. 12th Avenue
Email: jrosenblatt@med.miami.edu

Sabita Roy, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Surgery

Office: 305-243-8452
Address: PAP 310, Miami, Florida 33136
Email: sroy@med.miami.edu

Mario Stevenson, Ph.D.

Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases
Co-Director of CFAR
Professor of Medicine
Office: 305-243-3550
Fax: 305-243-8799
Address: Life Science Technology Park, 1951 N.W. 7th Avenue, Room 2331B
Email: mstevenson@med.miami.edu

Alfred J. Tector, M.D.

Professor, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Division: Transplant Surger

Email: ajt135@miami.edu

Alice Tomei, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Office: 305-243-3469
Address: 1251 Memorial Drive, McArthur Annex 208 Coral Gables, FL-33146
Email: atomei@med.miami.edu

Islet Immunoengineering Lab Diabetes Research Institute
Address: 1450 NW 10th Avenue Miami, FL-33136
Office: 305-243-3469

Faculty

Primary Faculty

Secondary Faculty

Maria Abreu, M.D.

Chief, Division of Gastroenterology Professor of Medicine Professor, Microbiology and Immunology

Dragana Ajdic, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor, Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and Microbiology and Immunology

Glen N. Barber, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Cell Biology Department, Department of Medicine, and Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Defne Bayik, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology

George W. Burke III, M.D., FACS

Professor, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery

Carolyn Cray, Ph.D.

Clinical Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Firdaous Dhabhar, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Derek Dykxhoorn, Ph.D.

Research Professor, Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology

Eric L. Greidinger, M.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine Division of Rheumatology

Dmitry V. Ivanov, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

Robert W. Keane, Ph.D.

Professor, Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Neurological Surgery

Norma Kenyon, Ph.D.

Martin Kleiman Professor of Surgery, Microbiology & Immunology and Biomedical Engineering, Executive Director, Wallace H. Coulter Center for Translational Research, Senior Associate Dean for Translational Science

Michael A. Kolber, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor of Medicine, Department of Public Health Science and Microbiology and Immunology

Octavio V. Martinez

Research Associate Professor, Tissue Bank

Darlene Miller, D.H.Sc., M.P.H., C.I.C.

Research Professor of Ophthalmology Scientific Director, Ocular Microbiology Laboratory

Irena Pastar, Ph.D.

Research Associate Professor, Dermatology

Ricardo Pastori, Ph.D.

Research Professor of Medicine, Immunology, and Microbiology and the Director of the Molecular Biology Laboratory at the Diabetes Research Institute

Juan C. Ramos, M.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology

Camillo Ricordi, M.D.

Chief, Division of Cellular Transplantation Professor of Surgery and Medicine

Joseph D. Rosenblatt, M.D.

Chief, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology William J. Harrington Chair in Hematology

Sabita Roy, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Surgery

Mario Stevenson, Ph.D.

Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases Co-Director of CFAR Professor of Medicine

Alfred J. Tector, M.D.

Professor, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, Division: Transplant Surger

Alice Tomei, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Chief, Division of Gastroenterology
Professor of Medicine
Professor, Microbiology and Immunology

Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology

Research Professor of Ophthalmology
Scientific Director, Ocular Microbiology Laboratory

Chief, Division of Cellular Transplantation
Professor of Surgery and Medicine

Chief, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine
Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology
William J. Harrington Chair in Hematology

Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases
Co-Director of CFAR
Professor of Medicine