Contact

Department

Vice President for Research, Texas Biomedical Research Institute

Turner, Joanne, Ph.D.

Adjunct Professor

Personal Statement:

Dr. Turner studies the changes that take place in the immune system during the natural aging process and how those changes can influence both innate and adaptive immune function when infected with M. tuberculosis. The primary focus of Dr. Turner’s aging research is the association of inflammation with susceptibility to develop TB. She also studies immune responses that correlate with an individual’s age-associated susceptibility to reactivate a previously latent infection with M. tuberculosis.

An additional area of research in Dr. Turner’s laboratory is focused on using different genetic mouse strains to better model immune responses in humans. By doing so, her team has defined a major role for an immune-suppressive cytokine, interleukin 10, in TB susceptibility.

Education

University of London, UK B.Sc 1993 Immunol/Biochem
University of London, UK Ph.D 1997 Immunology
Colorado State University, USA Post-­doc 1997-­2000 Immunology

Research

My laboratory has studied immune correlates of TB susceptibility using the mouse model for over 11 years, with a focus on the role of IL-­10 in TB pathogenesis. I have extensive experience with in vivo and in vitro manipulation of M.tb infected mice/cultures. My lab also studies immunity in old age where we use M. tuberculosis infection to understand both innate and adaptive immune function in old age in response to infection using both the mouse model as well as human subjects.

Awards & Accomplishments

1993 Medical Research Council Studentship, LSHTM, University of London, UK.
1995 Gordon Smith Travel Fellowship, LSHTM, University of London, UK.
2002 James A Shannon young investigator Award, National Institute of Aging, USA.
2005 Career Investigator Award, American Lung Association, USA.
2006 Pfizer-­Showell travel award to attend American Association of Immunologists annual meeting, USA.
2008 Comprehensive Cancer Center Immunology Award, Ohio State University, USA
2010 Julie Martin Mid-­Career Award, American Federation for Aging Research, USA.
2013 Dept. Microbial Infection & Immunity Excellence in Teaching Award, The Ohio State University, USA
2016 Center for FAME Distinguished Mentor Award, The Ohio State University, USA

Publications

Complete List of Publications

  • Moliva JI, Hossfeld AP, Canan CH, Dwivedi V, Wewers MD, Beamer G, Turner J, Torrelles JB. Exposure to human alveolar lining fluid enhances Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a CD8<sup>+</sup> T-cell-dependent manner. Mucosal immunology. 2017; PubMed [journal] PMID: 28930287
  • Arcos J, Sasindran SJ, Moliva JI, Scordo JM, Sidiki S, Guo H, Venigalla P, Kelley HV, Lin G, Diangelo L, Silwani SN, Zhang J, Turner J, Torrelles JB. Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall released fragments by the action of the human lung mucosa modulate macrophages to control infection in an IL-10-dependent manner. Mucosal immunology. 2017; 10(5):1248-1258. NIHMSID: NIHMS830842 PubMed [journal] PMID: 28000679, PMCID: PMC5479761
  • Torrelles JB, Schlesinger LS. Integrating Lung Physiology, Immunology, and Tuberculosis. Trends in microbiology. 2017; 25(8):688-697. NIHMSID: NIHMS861100 PubMed [journal] PMID: 28366292, PMCID: PMC5522344
  • Jung BG, Wang X, Yi N, Ma J, Turner J, Samten B. Early Secreted Antigenic Target of 6-kDa of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Stimulates IL-6 Production by Macrophages through Activation of STAT3. Scientific reports. 2017; 7:40984. PubMed [journal] PMID: 28106119, PMCID: PMC5247711
  • Moliva JI, Turner J, Torrelles JB. Immune Responses to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccination: Why Do They Fail to Protect against <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i>? Frontiers in immunology. 2017; 8:407. PubMed [journal] PMID: 28424703, PMCID: PMC5380737
  • Adcox HE, Vasicek EM, Dwivedi V, Hoang KV, Turner J, Gunn JS. Salmonella Extracellular Matrix Components Influence Biofilm Formation and Gallbladder Colonization. Infection and immunity. 2016; 84(11):3243-3251. PubMed [journal] PMID: 27600501, PMCID: PMC5067756
  • Cronan MR, Beerman RW, Rosenberg AF, Saelens JW, Johnson MG, Oehlers SH, Sisk DM, Jurcic Smith KL, Medvitz NA, Miller SE, Trinh LA, Fraser SE, Madden JF, Turner J, Stout JE, Lee S, Tobin DM. Macrophage Epithelial Reprogramming Underlies Mycobacterial Granuloma Formation and Promotes Infection. Immunity. 2016; 45(4):861-876. NIHMSID: NIHMS820234 PubMed [journal] PMID: 27760340, PMCID: PMC5268069
  • Makara MA, Hoang KV, Ganesan LP, Crouser ED, Gunn JS, Turner J, Schlesinger LS, Mohler PJ, Rajaram MV. Cardiac Electrical and Structural Changes During Bacterial Infection: An Instructive Model to Study Cardiac Dysfunction in Sepsis. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2016; 5(9). PubMed [journal] PMID: 27620887, PMCID: PMC5079037
  • Moliva JI, Turner J, Torrelles JB. Prospects in Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette et Guérin (BCG) vaccine diversity and delivery: why does BCG fail to protect against tuberculosis? Vaccine. 2015; 33(39):5035-41. NIHMSID: NIHMS717161 PubMed [journal] PMID: 26319069, PMCID: PMC4577463
  • Arcos J, Diangelo LE, Scordo JM, Sasindran SJ, Moliva JI, Turner J, Torrelles JB. Lung Mucosa Lining Fluid Modification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to Reprogram Human Neutrophil Killing Mechanisms. The Journal of infectious diseases. 2015; 212(6):948-58. PubMed [journal] PMID: 25748325, PMCID: PMC4548464