Glen S. Tamura, MD, PhD

Overview

Board Certification(s)

Pediatrics
Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Medical/Professional School

Stanford University , Stanford
Stanford University , Stanford

Residency

Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle

Research Description

Pathogenesis of Group B Streptococcal disease (GBS, Streptococcus agalactiae).

GBS are the leading cause of meningitis and sepsis in neonates in the United States and Western Europe. Dr. Tamura's laboratory studies the molecular pathogenesis of group B Streptococcal (GBS) infections. We are particularly interested in the bacterial adhesins and their cognate epithelial cell receptors that are involved in mucosal colonization.

We have successfully identified fibronectin and cytokeratin 8 as potential epithelial cell receptors. We have also identified two fibronectin adhesins, one definnitively (ScpB, the Streptococcal C5a peptidase) and one tentatively (GlnP, the glutamine permease).

Both of these proteins have other functions by which they were originally defined. We are in the process of defining the role of the different activities of these genes in bacterial adherence both in vitro and in vivo.

GBS have the unusual property of being able to bind specifically to immobilized fibronectin (iFn) and not to soluble fibronectin (sFn). The adhesin ScpB shares this property.

We are also in the process of defining the structural basis for this specificity using a variety of cutting edge biophysical techniques, including surface plasmon resonance and atomic force microscopy.

Lab URL

http://myprofile.cos.com/gtamura

Research Focus Area

Host: Pathogen Interaction

Awards and Honors

Publications

Research Funding