Contact

Location: 4.025V - MED

Department

Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics

Wickes, Brian L., Ph.D.

Professor

Personal Statement:

Dr. Wickes’ lab’s major interest is in the area of molecular diagnostics for both bacteria and fungi, basic research on Cryptococcus neoformans with a focus on molecular mechanisms of differentiation, and the molecular and genetic regulation of biofilm formation in Candida sp. His laboratory extensively integrates teaching and instruction into the research program and currently has trainees of all ranks.

Education

Ph.D., Microbiology at Catholic University, Washington, D.C.

Research

Keywords: Cryptococcus Neoformans Research interests: Dr. Wickes’ laboratory is interested in the molecular biology of differentiation in Cryptococcus neoformans and the identification and diagnosis of medically important fungi. This interest is manifested in a number of different projects that range from basic research to translational clinical studies and in some areas, extends beyond fungi into bacteria. They have a number of active projects in the laboratory.

  1. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen. Their major interest in C. neoformans concerns the genes involved in morphology and differentiation. They study two developmental processes, mating and monokaryotic fruiting. Mating occurs between cells of compatible mating types while monokaryotic fruiting occurs in single cell types. Their reason for studying differentiation lies in determining which morphology, yeast or spore, is responsible for generating infectious particles that ultimately are inhaled, and cause disease.
  2. A second fungus that they study is Candida glabrata. This yeast is one of the most common causes of non-albicans candidiasis and has attracted increasing interest due to its higher intrinsic resistance to antifungal drugs. They are presently interested in developing new selectable markers and other molecular tools for this pathogen, and also study biofilm production by C. glabrata. They have an oral study of C. glabrata in AIDs patients and have developed a diagnostic strategy for distinguishing these yeasts from other Candida spp. in clinical isolates.
  3. In addition to our basic research programs, they also have an extensive diagnostic program. They collaborate with the Fungus Testing Laboratory in the UT Health San Antonio Dept. of Pathology in the analysis of clinical isolates. The laboratory uses molecular methods to identify rare or difficult to work with fungi. They also conduct epidemiologic studies on outbreaks to determine relatedness.
  4. In collaboration with the Dept. of Pathology, they have been studying drug resistance in bacteria, specifically, ESBL (Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase) organisms. Their interests lie in developing molecular diagnostic strategies that focus on a novel technique called LATE (Late After the Exponential) PCR.

Awards & Accomplishments

Active Grants:

NIH R01 AI148641-02A1   Wickes, Brian            Development of a rapid, pan fungal diagnostic assay.

2/1/2021-1/31/2026

Awards:

2022               Guest Editor, Journal of Fungi

2021               Guest Editor, Journal of Fungi

2020-Pres     Editorial Board, Journal of Fungi

2016-Pres     Associate Editor, Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

2012-Pres     Editorial Board, Journal of Medical Microbiology & Diagnosis

2012-Pres     Editorial Board, The Open Mycology Journal

2008-Pres     Editorial Board, Current Trends in Microbiology: Research Trends

2008-Pres     International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM), Working Group on Molecular Diagnostics, Member

2008-Pres     Craniofacial Oral-biology Student Training in Academic Research (COSTAR) Leadership Council Member

2006-Pres     University of Texas, San Antonio, RISE-MARC (Minority Biomedical Research Support- Research Initiative in Science Enhancement) Preceptor.

1995-Pres     Editorial Board, Journal of Clinical Microbiology

2012               Inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame, Catholic University

2010-12         National Institutes of Health, College of CSR Reviewers

2009               Outstanding Review Award, Clinical Infectious Diseases

2004               American Society for Microbiology, Publication Board, Distinguished Service Award

2003               American Society for Microbiology, Outstanding Editorial Board Member (J Clin Microbiol)

2003-10         Editorial Board, Molecular Microbiology

2002               American Society for Microbiology, Outstanding Editorial Board Member (J Clin Microbiol)

2001               American Society for Microbiology, Outstanding Editorial Board Member (J Clin Microbiol)

1998               Burroughs-Wellcome New Investigator Award in Medical Mycology

Affiliations

  • 01/2001-Present  Texas Branch, American Society for Microbiology
  • 01/2001-Present  Center for the Enhancement of the Biology/Biomaterials Interface (CEBBI)
  • 01/2001-Present  San Antonio Cancer Institute (SACI), Full member
  • 01/1999-Present  Genetics Society of America
  • 01/1992-Present  International Society for Human and Animal Mycology
  • 01/1992-Present  Medical Mycology Society of the Americas
  • 01/1984-Present  American Society for Microbiology

Lab Members

Lab MemberPosition
Jianmin Fu, PhDSenior Research Associate
Katherine Kuenstler, BSResearch Assistant
Brenden Determann III, BSMS Student
Peter Osha, BSMS Student

Publications

Complete List of Publications

  • D’Spain, S., Andrade, P.I., Brockman, N.E., Fu, J., and B.L. Wickes. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation of Candida glabrata. J. Fungi 2022,8,596. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/jof8060596
  • Perkins, M.J., Rosario, D.J., Wickes, B.L., Krajaejun, T., Sherwood, J.E., Mody. R.M. severe skin and soft tissue pythiosis acquired in a hot spring in the Southwestern United States, a case report and review of north american cases. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2022 Apr 28:102349. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102349. PMID: 35490949
  • Fu, J. Brockman, N.E. Wickes, B.L. Optimizing transformation frequency of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. J. Fungi 2021 Jun;7(7):520-534.
  • Geiser, D.M. et al. Phylogenomic analysis of a 55.1 kb 19-gene dataset resolves a monophyletic Fusarium that includes the Fusarium solani species complex. Phytopath. 2021 Jan;110(11)
  • Groff, J.M., Mok, M.Y., Kubiski, S.V., Michel, A.O., Cortés-Hinojosa, G.A., Byrne, B.A., Sutton, D.A., Wickes, B.L., Weber, E.S., Campbell, L.A., Waltzek, T.B. . Phaeohyphomycosis in cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus Richardson) from California USA during 2006 to 2015 due to Veronaea botryosa. J. Fish Dis. 2020 Dec;43(12):1-9.
  • Morrison, G.A., Fu, J., Lee, G.C., Wiederhold, N.P., Cañete-Gibas, C.F., Bunnik, E.M., and B.L. Wickes . Nanopore sequencing of the fungal Intergenic spacer (IGS) sequence as a potential rapid, diagnostic assay. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2020 Nov;58(12):e01972-20.
  • Kerry O’Donnell, Abdullah M. S. Al-Hatmi, Takayuki Aoki, Jeffrey J. Coleman, Christina A. Cuomo, G. Sybren de Hoog,f Antonio Di Pietro, Rasmus J. Frandsen, Donald M. Gardiner, David M. Geiser, Igor V. Grigoriev,k Josep Guarro, Gert Kema,m Hye-Seon Kim, H. Corby Kistler, Imane Laraba, John F. Leslie, Erik Lysøe,p Li-Jun Ma, Jacques F. Meis,r Wieland Meyer, Robert H. Proctor, Martijn Rep,t Jason E. Stajich,u Emma Steenkamp, Richard C. Summerbell, Brett A. Summerell, Theo A. J. van der Lee, Anne D. van Diepeningen, Paul E. Verweij, Cees Waalwijk, Todd J. Ward, Brian L. Wickes, Nathan P. Wiederhold, Michael J. Wingfield, Ning Zhang, Sean X. Zhang.  Just say ‘no‘ to Neocosmospora: Phylogenomic and practical reasons for continued inclusion of the Fusarium solani Species Complex in the genus Fusarium. mSphere 2020 Sep;5(5):e00810-e00820.
  • Ganesan, A., Wells, J., Shaikh, F., Peterson, P., Bradley, W., Carson, M.L., Petfield, J.L., Klassen-Fisher, M., Akers, K.S., Downing, K., Bialek, R., Tribble, D.R., and B.L. Wickes. Molecular detection of filamentous fungi in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from combat casualties. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2019 Dec;58(1):e01259-19.
  • Wiederhold, N.P., Najvar, L.K., Jaramillo, R., Olivo, M., Wickes, B.L., Catano, G., and T.F. Patterson. Extended-interval dosing of Rezafungin against azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus Antimic. Ag. Chem. 2019 Sep;63(10):e01165-e01119.
  • Biagi, M., Wiederhold, N., Gibas, C., Wickes, B.L., Lozano, V., Bleasdale, S.C., and L. Danziger. Development of high-level echinocandin resistance in a patient with recurrent Candida auris candidemia secondary to chronic candiduria. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019 Jun;6(7):1-5.
  • Liss, M., Sherrill, A.J., Barney, S. Yunes, A., Sokurenko, E., and B.L. Wickes. Prospective assessment regarding implementation of a point-of-care pcr-based detection method to guide antibiotic use prior to prostate biopsy compared to targeted prophylaxis and physician choice Urology 2019;129:87-91.
  • Alwan,S.N., Shamran, H.A., Ghaib, A.H., Al-Mayah, Q.S., AL-Saffar, A.J., Bayati, A.E., Arif, H.S., Fu, J., and B.L. Wickes. Genotyping of cytomegalovirus from symptomatic infected neonates in Iraq. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 2019;100(4):957-963.
  • Vipulanandan, G., Herrera, M., Wiederhold, N.P., Li, X., Mintz, J., Wickes, B.L., and D. Kadosh. Dynamics of mixed-Candida species biofilms in response to antifungals J. Dent. Res. 2018 Jan;97(1):91-98.
  • Hong, G., White, M., Lechtzin, N., West, N.E., Miller, H., Lee, R., Lovari, R.J., Massire, C., Blyn, L.B., Sutton, D.A., Wickes, B.L., Wiederhold, N.P., and S.X. Zhang. Fatal case of disseminated Rasamsonia infection in a cystic fibrosis patient post-lung transplantation J. Cys. Fib. 2017;16:e3-e7.
  • Kwon-Chung, K.J., Bennett, J.E., Wickes, B.L., Meyer, W., Cuomo, C., Wollenburg, C.R, Alspaugh, J.A., Bicanic, T.A., Castaneda, E., Chang, Y.C., Chen, J., Cogliati, M., Dromer, F., Ellis, D., Filler, S.G., Fisher, M.C., Harrison, T.S., Kohno, S., Kronstad, J.W., dos Santos Lazera, M., Levitz, S.M., Lionakis, M., May, R.C., Ngamskulrongroj, P., Pappas, P.G., Perfect, J.W., Sorrell, T., Volker, R., Walsh, T.J., Williamson, P.R., Xu, J.P., and A. Casadevall. The case for adopting the “species complex” nomenclature for the etiologic agents of cryptococcosis mSphere 2017 Jan;2(1):1-7.
  • Alwan, S.N., Al-Saffar, A.J., Bayati, A.H., Kadhim, H.S., Arif, H.S., Ghaib, A.H., Alrawi, L.I., Abdulrudha, S.A., Mohammed, A.H., Saeed, B.M., and B.L. Wickes. Prevalence of cytomegalovirus in Iraqi children Int. J. Med. Res. Hlth. Sci. 2017 Jan;6(11):113-124.