Rosa M. Andrade

Picture of Rosa M. Andrade
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases
School of Medicine
M.D., Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, 2001
UTMB Galveston-Austin, 2009, Internal Medicine
University of California San Diego, 2013, Infectious Diseases
Phone: (949) 824-6320
Email: rmandra1@uci.edu
University of California, Irvine
Medical Science Bldg #821, Room C135D
Mail Code: 4025
Irvine, CA 92697
Research Interests
Toxoplasma gondii, Entamoeba histolytica,Neglected Tropical Diseases and drug discovery. Clinical Interests: HIV and STD management
Academic Distinctions
2003 Honorable Mention in basic sciences at Fellows’ Grand Rounds. Univ. Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dept. of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
2004 Honorable Mention in basic sciences at the Trainees’ Research Grand Rounds. Univ. of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH
2012 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Global Health Travel Award for the Keystone Symposia J1 Drug Discovery for Protozoan Parasites.
2012 The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program (AMFDP)
2013 Vice Chancellor Health Sciences office: Funding to attend the AAMC Minority Faculty Career Development Seminar (September 20th-23rd).
2013 UCSD Vice Chancellor Health Sciences office: Awarded funding to attend the K-grant writing Seminar (September 20th).
2013 UCSD Health Sciences Academic Senate Research Grant Application, Spring Quarter 2013:
2013 UCSD Health Sciences Academic Senate Travel Grant, to attend Woodshole Molecular Parasitology Meeting
2014 NIAID K08 award.
Appointments
07/2002-04/2005 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, University of Cincinnati, OH
07/2005-03/2006 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL
07/2009-07/2010 Clinical training portion of Infectious Diseases Fellowship, University of California, San Diego, CA
07/2010- 2/2013 Research training portion of Infectious Diseases fellowship, University of California, San Diego, CA.
3/2013-1/2016 Assistant Professor of Medicine-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California San Diego, CA.
2/2016-current Assistant Professor of Medicine-Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine, CA
Research Abstract
Overview
Role of antioxidant systems in T.gondii biology.
Research Interests
Toxoplasmosis of the central nervous system can have potentially devastating long term effects. It is caused by Toxoplasma gondii and it is the second leading cause of hospitalizations (8%) and deaths (24%) among food borne pathogens in the US. Unfortunately, current available drugs have significant toxicity and have no effect over the bradyzoite/latent form while the impending threat of emergence of resistance to these drugs makes the discovery of new therapeutic targets a priority.
We’ve recently demonstrated that auranofin has in vitro activity against T.gondii and induces accumulation of reactive oxygen species in infected host cells while in vivo, it prevents death in 100% of chicken embryos (acute toxoplasmosis model) and modulates the host immune response preventing an overwhelming inflammatory reaction (PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2014 Jul 31;8(7):e2973 PIMD: 25079790). Auranofin’s likely target is the thiol-dependent anti-oxidant system as we demonstrated on Entamoeba histolytica (thioredoxin reductase) (Nat Med. 2012May 20. PIMD: 22610278), and on other parasites of public health importance such as Leishmania infantum (trypanothione reductase), and Schistosoma mansoni (glutathione-thioredoxin reductase).
The overall goal in the Andrade laboratory is directed towards elucidating the roles of the thiol-dependent antioxidant systems in T.gondii biology which are largely unknown. The central hypothesis is that T.gondii thiol-dependent antioxidant systems are essential for T.gondii biology, and are a viable drug target. Using in vitro and in vivo models (mouse and chicken embryo), three broad aims are: i) determine that T.gondii thiol-dependent anti-oxidant enzymes are auranofin targets; ii) evaluate auranofin activity in vivo in standard mouse models of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis iii) evaluate the effect of auranofin on the host immune response given that it has an impressive effect on parasite clearance and decreasing host tissue inflammation in vivo chicken embryo model of acute toxoplasmosis.
This project has the potential of identifying a new anti-parasitic drug target, T.gondii thiol-dependent antioxidant systems, that can be exploited in drug development for the treatment of toxoplasma infection. Repurposing of a FDA-approved drug (auranofin) with a proven safety profile can dramatically accelerate the time to clinical trials.
Publications
Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography:

Peer reviewed publications:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/1XAeB-SLH5HAR/bibliograpahy/47665344/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending



Non-peer reviewed publications:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/myncbi/1XAeB-SLH5HAR/bibliography/47665345/public/?sort=date&direction=ascending
Professional Societies
IDSA
ASTMH
ACP
IDAC
Graduate Programs
Infectious Disease (IM)
Internal Medicine
Research Centers
UCI Institute for Immunology
Last updated
02/02/2023