Peter H. Dube, Ph.D.

The research in Dr. Peter Dube's lab is focused on inflammation and how inflammation leads to disease. In particular, we investigate how viral and bacterial pathogens and their products influence inflammatory responses. The major research interests are acute infections of the lungs by viral and bacterial pathogens as well as co-infections, pulmonary infections leading to asthma or the exacerbation of asthma, infectious gastroenteritis caused by invasive bacterial pathogens and vaccine development.

Dr. Dube and his team have extensive experience working with highly pathogenic organisms at BSL-3 and ABSL-3. The Dube laboratory has several active research programs investigating the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causative agent of COVID-19. We are interested in the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the related coronaviruses SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. We are also investigating the role of co-infections in severe COVID-19 disease. The laboratory is testing several novel vaccine platforms for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 , SARS, and MERS infection.

We have research interests in T-cell-mediated vaccines for the prevention and treatment of malignancies and infectious diseases. We have applied our Listeria-based vaccines for the prevention of melanoma and Yersinia infections. We are applying this platform to the development of beta-coronavirus vaccines and therapeutic melanoma vaccines. 

Our interests in asthma revolve around Mycoplasma pneumoniae and a toxin produced by this pathogen called the Community Acquired Respiratory Distress Syndrome toxin (CARDS toxin). Mycoplasma pneumoniae is often associated with acute exacerbations of asthma in children and adults and recent data suggests that CARDS toxin might be linked to a subset of asthma exacerbations. 

• Professional Background

  Education

  • 1999 - PhD - Biochemistry - State University of New York
  • 1994 - BA - Biology/Chemistry - Central Connecticut State University
  • Postdoctoral Training - Bacterial pathogenesis / Immunology - Washington University School of Medicine

  Appointments

  • 12/2015 - Associate Professor and Deputy Director Infection, Inflammation, and Immunology Discipline - UTHSCSA, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
  • 9/2009 - Associate Professor and Microbiology and Immunology Track Leader - UTHSCSA, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
  • 9/2009 - Associate Professor - UTHSCSASAN ANTONIO

• Instruction & Training

  • 1/2016 - Present, Pathogenic Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 8/2014 - Present, Pathogenic Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 1/2014 - Present, Masters' Thesis Directed, UTHSCSA
  • 1/2014 - Present, Undergraduate Student Supervision, UTHSCSA
  • 10/2009 - Present, Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 1/2008 - 8/2015, Dental Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 1/2007 - Present, Post-Doctoral Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 1/2007 - Present, MICR5029 Building Critical Thinking Skills, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 8/2006 - Present, Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 1/2004 - Present, Microbiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center
  • 7/2003 - Present, Membership on Supervising Committee, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2003 - Present, Rotation Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2003 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 8/2019 - Present, Director of the MS Program in Infection and Immunology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • Membership on Supervising Committee, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2003 - Present, Rotation Student Supervision, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
  • 6/2003 - Present, Pre-Doctoral Student Supervision

• Research & Grants

  Animal Models, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Immunology

  Population Science and Prevention Program

  Research profile

  Grants

  Federal

  Funding Agency NIH Title Inhibition of Tumor-promoting effects of TGF-beta in advanced prostate cancer Status Active Period 7/2013 - 6/2017 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail   Funding Agency DOD Title B7-H1 regulates gut dysbiosis to increase risk for inflammatory bowel disease and associated colorectal cancers Status Active Period 6/2015 - 5/2017 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail  

  State

  Funding Agency CPRIT Title Integrin-mediated IL-18 in the prevention and treatment of inflammation-associated colon cancer Status Active Period 3/2016 - 2/2018 Role Co-Investigator Grant Detail  

   

  Funding Agency NIH Title Prolactin regulation of postoperative pain in males and females Status Active Period 9/2015 - 8/2019 Role Consultant Grant Detail The major goals of this project are to identify and characterize female-specific mechanisms in regulation of postoperative pain

• Publications

  Abstract

  Le Saux CJ, Solis, Laura, Medina, Jorge, Calhoun, Cheresa, Baseman JB, Dube PH. Mycoplasma Pneumoniae CARDS Toxin Induced Airway Remodeling; 2014 May. (American Journal Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; vol. 189). Maselli DJ, Medina, J, Dube PH, Brooks EG, Coalson JJ, Peters JI. Identification of CARDS Toxin in the Bronchial Epithelial Lining Fluid After Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) Inoculation: A Primate Model Chicago, Illinois; 2013 Oct. (CHEST Annual Meeting).

  Journal Article

  Shen, H, Gonzalez-Juarbe, N, Blanchette, K, Crimmins, G, Bergman, MA, Isberg, RR, Orihuela, C, Dube PH. CD8( ) T cells specific to a single Yersinia pseudotuberculosis epitope restrict bacterial replication in the liver but fail to provide sterilizing immunity Infect Genet Evo 2016 Jun;. Gilley, RP, Gonzalez-Juarbe, N, Shenoy AT, Reyes, LF, Dube, PH, Restrepo, MI, Orihuela, CJ. Infiltrated Macrophages Die of Pneumolysin-Mediated Necroptosis following Pneumococcal Myocardial Invasion Infect Immun 2016 May;. Gonzalez-Juarbe, N, Mares CA, Hinojosa CA, Medina JL, Cantwell A, Dube PH, Orihuela, CJ, Bergman, MA. Requirement for Serratia marcescens cytolysin in a murine model of hemorrhagic pneumonia Infect Immun 2015 Feb;. Thinwa, J, Segovia JA, Bose, S, Dube PH. Integrin-mediated first signal for inflammasome activation in intestinal epithelial cells J Immunol 2014 Aug;. Medina JL, Coalson JJ, Brooks EG, Le Saux CJ, Winter WT, Chaparro A, Principe MFR, Solis L, Kannan TR, Baseman JB, Dube PH. Mycoplasma pneumoniae CARDS toxin exacerbates ovalbumin-induced asthma-like inflammation in BALB/c mice PlosOne 2014 Jul;9(7). Evseev, AI, Semenov, I, Archer, CR, Medina, JL, Dube PH, Shapiro MS, Brenner, R. Functional effects of KCNQ K( ) channels in airway smooth muscle Front Physiol 2013 Oct;. Bose R, Thinwa J, Chaparro P, Zhong Y, Bose S, Zhong G, Dube PH. Mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent interleukin-1a intracrine signaling is modulated by YopP during Yersinia enterocolitica infection Infect Immun 2012 Jan;80(1):289-297. Embry A, Meng X, Cantwell A, Dube PH, Xiang Y. Enhancement of immune response to an antigen delivered by vaccinia virus by displaying the antigen on the surface of intracellular mature virion Vaccine 2011 Jun;29(33):5331-5339. Zhong Y, Cantwell A, Dube PH. Transforming growth factor beta and CD25 are important for controlling systemic dissemination following Yersinia enterocolitica infection of the gut Infect Immun 2010 Sep;78(9):3716-3725. Cantwell AM, Bubeck SS, Dube PH. YopH inhibits early pro-inflammatory cytokine responses during plague pneumonia BMC Immunol 2010 Jun;11:29-29. Sabbah A, Chang TH, Harnack R, Frohlich V, Tominaga K, Dube PH, Xiang Y, Bose S. Activation of innate immune antiviral responses by Nod2 Nat Immunol 2009 Oct;10(10):1073-1080. Hardy, RD, Coalson JJ, Peters, JI, Chaparro, A, Techasaensiri, C, Cantwell AM, Kannan TR, Baseman JB, Dube PH. Analysis of Pulmonary Inflammation and Function in the Mouse and Baboon after Exposure to Mycoplasma pneumoniae CARDS Toxin Public Library of Science (PLoS ONE) 2009 Oct;4(10). Cantwell AM, Bubeck S, Dube PH. YopH inhibits inflammatory responses during primary plague pneumonia (Manuscript in preparation) 2008 Jan;. Stacey S, A Pasquali, Cantwell AM, Kraig E, Dube PH. An age-old paradigm challenged: Old baboons generate vigorous humoral immune responses to LcrV, a plague antigen J. Immunol. (Under Revision) 2008 Jan;. Bubeck SS, Dube PH. Yersinia pestis CO92 delta yopH is a potent live, attenuated plague vaccine Clin Vaccine Immunol 2007 Sep;14(9):1235-1238. Bubeck S, Cantwell AM, Dube PH. Delayed inflammatory response to primary pneumonic plague occurs in both outbred and inbred mice Infect Immun 2007 Feb;75(2):697-705. Handley SA, Dube PH, Miller VL. Histamine signaling through the H(2) receptor in the Peyer`s patch is important for controlling Yersinia enterocolitica infection Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2006 Jun;103(24):9268-9273. Dube PH, Handley SA, Lewis J, Miller VL. Protective role of interleukin-6 during Yersinia enterocolitica infection is mediated through the modulation of inflammatory cytokines Infect Immun 2004 Jun;72(6):3561-3570. Handley SA, Dube PH, Revell PA, Miller VL. Characterization of oral Yersinia enterocolitica infection in three different strains of inbred mice Infect Immun 2004 Mar;72(3):1645-1656. Dube PH, Handley SA, Revell PA, Miller VL. The rovA mutant of Yersinia enterocolitica displays differential degrees of virulence depending on the route of infection Infect Immun 2003 Jun;71(6):3512-3520. Dube PH, Revell PA, Chaplin DD, Lorenz RG, Miller VL. A role for IL-1 alpha in inducing pathologic inflammation during bacterial infection Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2001 Sep;98(19):10880-10885. Dube P, DeCostanzo A, Konopka JB. Interaction between transmembrane domains five and six of the alpha-factor receptor J Biol Chem 2000 Aug;275(34):26492-26499. Dube P, Konopka JB. Identification of a polar region in transmembrane domain 6 that regulates the function of the G protein-coupled alpha-factor receptor Mol Cell Biol 1998 Dec;18(12):7205-7215. Davis C, Dube P, Konopka JB. Afr1p regulates the Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-factor receptor by a mechanism that is distinct from receptor phosphorylation and endocytosis Genetics 1998 Feb;148(2):625-635. Konopka JB, Margarit SM, Dube P. Mutation of Pro-258 in transmembrane domain 6 constitutively activates the G protein-coupled alpha-factor receptor Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1996 Jun;93(13):6764-6769.

  Review Article

  Dube PH. Interaction of Yersinia with the gut: mechanisms of pathogenesis and immune evasion Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2009 Jan;.