Robert J. Bastidas, PhD

Robert is a graduate of the Duke University Program in Genetics and Genomics and is currently an Assistant Research Professor. He is interested in identifying bacterial proteins (effectors) secreted by Chlamydia that manipulate human cellular defenses and scavenge for nutrients. He is currently working on two secreted effector proteins that function as deubiquitinase mimics. He has identified multiple bacterial and human proteins targeted by these bacterial deubiquitinases and is applying genetics, biochemistry, microscopy, and high-throughput screening to characterize how these effectors promote Chlamydia intracellular growth and virulence.