Douglas Drevets, MD, DTM&H, FIDSA

Biography

"My laboratory research has been focused on host defenses against infections with intracellular bacteria, largely working in the mouse model of experimental Listeria monocytogenes infection. Prior projects included in-depth study of receptor-mediated phagocytosis of L. monocytogenes by inflammatory macrophages, monocyte heterogeneity, and signals that trigger recruitment of inflammatory cells to the brain. A long-standing area of interest has been in neuro-infection/inflammation, and the downstream consequences of these processes on neuro-cognitive function. Using the Listeria model, work from my laboratory showed that the brain becomes activated by innate immune responses to infection in peripheral organs for leukocyte recruitment. This is a required step in recruiting Listeria-infected monocytes into the brain and thus establishing CNS infection. Current laboratory projects have been focused on identifying underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation that are triggered by bacterial infection, particularly those that are found in aged hosts. For this, we modified the in vivo infection model to treat infected mice with the same antibiotic used for human Listeria infection. This allows otherwise lethally infected mice to survive and provides opportunity to study persistent, downstream inflammatory responses in the brain. The goal is to develop novel forms of host-directed therapies that will to modulate harmful inflammatory processes during CNS infection.

Other research activities have been in public health and include a Hepatitis C virus Elimination Project centered in the Cherokee Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma, as well as ongoing research with a neurosciences group in Vellore, India focused on developing novel, imaging-free, diagnostic tools for neurocysticercosis. In addition to research activities, I am board-certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. At OU Health, I have a clinical practice in consultative infectious diseases, including treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS, and I am active as an educator, teaching and providing mentorship to the next generation of infectious disease specialists."

Email

douglas-drevets@ouhsc.edu

Publications

Research Interests:

• Bacterial CNS infection
• Monocyte, macrophage, microglial biology
• Brain inflammation triggered by peripheral infection
• Effects of type I &II interferons on the brain
• Neuro-psychiatric complications of infectious diseases