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Dr. Blanca I. Restrepo, PhD in Microbiology
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
School of Public Health
Brownsville Regional Campus
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Dr. Restrepo is
originally from Colombia where she obtained her B.Sc. as a Medical
Technologist. During this time period she also trained with Dr. Angela
Restrepo (not related) in the area of medical mycology, and had her
first research experience studying the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides
brasiliensis. She demonstrated how conidia (spores) from the mycelial
form of the fungus become fragmented and then transform into yeast.
Between 1988-1997 she trained at the University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio. Initially she worked with the fungus Cryptococcus
neoformans under Drs. Richard Graybill and Alan G. Barbour, where
she tested a new antimicrobial drug in mice, and developed one of
the first DNA extraction methods for this pathogen. Then she obtained
a Ph.D. in Microbiology in Dr. Alan G. Barbour's laboratory, where
she explored the molecular basis of antigenic variation on the bacterium
Borrelia hermsii. She described the early events occurring during
a DNA rearrangement that leads to the expression of a new variable
membrane protein gene. Ironically, the mechanism involved is highly
similar to the rearrangement of DNA in human B cells that leads to
antibody diversity. These studies granted her several publications
in high impact journals, including "Cell". In 1994 Dr. Restrepo
started a post-doctoral fellow in the same institution under Dr. Judy
Teale, where she obtained training in the immunology of the human
parasite Taenia solium responsible for the central nervous system
infection, neurocysticercosis. In 1997 Dr. Restrepo returned to her
home country Colombia where she created and headed the Molecular Parasitology
Group at the Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas.
During this period she worked as an independent researcher expanding
her post-doctoral studies on neurocysticercosis. Her team i) designed
a simple and reliable serological assay for the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis,
ii) described the first detailed findings regarding the phenotype
of the cells and cytokines induced by this infection in the human
brain, iii) cloned some of the highly antigenic glycoprotein genes
and iii) performed an in depth analysis of the structure of these
carbohydrates in association with Dr. Anne Dell and collaborators.
Dr. Restrepo moved recently to the US, and joined the Brownsville
Regional Campus of the School of Public Health-University of Texas-Houston
in October of 2002 as a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Restrepo´s
main responsibility will be setting up the research laboratory for
the Regional campus, where a number of research projects revolving
around the health problem in the valley will be developed. She will
be leading the tuberculosis studies. She will also be teaching and
training local students to become scientists. Dr. Restrepo is totally
fluent in Spanish and English.
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