Faculty
Robert J. Maier, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology and
GRA Ramsey Eminent Scholar of Microbial Physiology
Ph.D. (1977) University of Wisconsin-Madison
Address: Department of Microbiology
808
Biological Sciences Building
Athens, GA 30602-2605
Phone: (706)
542-2323
E-mail: rmaier@uga.edu
COS CV: http://myprofile.cos.com/rjmaier
PubMed: maier rj
Research Interests:
Virulence Factors Produced by
the Gastric Pathogen Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter
pylori colonizes the gastric mucosa of humans leading to a variety
of inflammatory gastric diseases. The persistence of the pathogen in withstanding
host defense mechanisms over a period of years or decades results in the most
severe gastric diseases, including even gastric carcinomas. Growth of the bacterium
in animals is inhibited by a battery of host-produced reactive oxygen species.
Our goal is to identify and then characterize the expression of oxidative stress
resistance proteins that enable the gastric pathogen to survive aerobically and
to colonize the host. Also, a key growth substrate used by the pathogen in animals
is molecular hydrogen, and we are determining the bacterial factors responsible
for the ability to use this small but highly energetic substrate.
