Charles T. Spencer, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences. Dr. Spencer’s research interests are focused on zoonotic and re/emerging pathogens and the disease burdens of such accumulating at national boundaries to understand and combat severe inflammatory responses. By examining diseases like Francisella tularensis, Ebola, pandemic influenza, hantavirus, SARS, and MERS, his lab aims to dissect how these pathogens provoke extreme immune reactions, often leading to dangerous conditions like ARDS, hemorrhage, and shock. The lab’s objective is to pinpoint common features in these pathological inflammatory responses extrapolating and validating observations made in animals in order to better understand and manipulate the human immune response to pathogens and vaccines. This involves a detailed analysis of how these infections affect cellular activation, cytokine production, tissue proteins and lipids, metabolic activity, and transcriptional responses. By comparing these findings with those from more conventional infections, Dr. Spencer’s team hopes to uncover new therapeutic targets that could mitigate the severe consequences of diseases. His research could pave the way for developing new treatments to manage or prevent the severe inflammatory responses associated with these dangerous pathogens.