Wilmara Salgado Pabón
Credentials: Pathobiological Sciences Department
Position title: Novel mechanisms of superantigen-mediated vascular dysfunction
Email: wsalgado@wisc.edu
Phone: 608-265-2473
Address:
4370 School of Veterinary Medicine
2015 Linden Drive
Madison, WI 53706
LAB WEBSITE:
FOCUS GROUPS:
Cell Adhesion & Cytoskeleton
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION:
Staphylococcus aureus presents a significant clinical and public health problem, causing some of the most severe hospital- and community-associated illnesses. S. aureus infective endocarditis (IE) is a feared and lethal disease. Once established, the infection is fast-progressing and tissue destructive. Yet, little is known about the mechanisms leading to such aggressive disease. The studies in my laboratory have been centered around elucidating the mechanisms by which S. aureus promotes IE, systemic pathologies, and lethality. Our studies on superantigens (SAgs) and -toxin in rabbit models of IE, ex vivo models of vascular regeneration, and cell culture systems provided evidence of novel and essential roles of these toxins in the etiology of the disease. By establishing these molecules as angiogenesis inhibitors, we opened new research avenues on S. aureus targeting of vessel repair, vascular regeneration, and wound healing that we intend to pursue over the coming years.
ALSO A TRAINER IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:
Microbiology (MDTP),Cellular & Molecular Pathology Graduate Program (CMP), Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (CBMS)