Biology

BIOL 121 Biological Concepts Laboratory: Cells, Metabolism, and Genetics

BIOL 207 General Microbiology

BIOL 226 Microbial Biology & Diversity

BIOL 227 Microbial Biology & Diversity Lab

BIOL 328 Immunology

My research interest is understanding host-bacterial interactions during infections especially by pathogens that grow inside the cells using macrophages and Legionella pneumophila as an infection model system. This causative agent of Legionnaires disease, releases an array of bacterial proteins upon infection to hijack multiple host cellular processes to survive and replicate. The research is focused on characterizing the functional role of bacterial proteins during an infection.  The research in my lab is related to biomedical fields specifically microbiology, cell biology, immunology, biochemistry and molecular biology. 

Postdoctoral (2011-2013) in Immunology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

Postdoctoral (2009-2011) in Bacterial Pathogenesis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Ph.D. (2009) in Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Khuzhakulov Z, Kylychbekov S, Allamyradov Y, Majidov I, Yosef JB, Er AY, Kitchens C, Banga S, Badarudeen S, Er AO. Formation of picosecond laser-induced periodic surface structures on steel for knee arthroplasty prosthetic, Frontiers in Metals and Alloys, 2023 Jan (1). doi:10.3389/ftmal.2022.1090104 

Zhu J, Jain S, Sha J, Batra H, Ananthaswamy N, Kilgore PB, Hendrix EK, Hosakote YM, Wu X, Olano JP, Kayode A, Galindo CL, Banga S, Drelich A, Tat V, Tseng CK, Chopra AK, Rao VB.  A Bacteriophage-Based, Highly Efficacious, Needle- and Adjuvant-Free, Mucosal COVID-19 Vaccine. mBio. 2022 Jul 28: e0182222. doi: 10.1128/mbio.01822-22. 

Hakimov S, Kylychbekov S, Harness B, Neupane S, Hurley J, Brooks A, Banga S, and Er AO Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles Attached to Methylene Blue as an antimicrobial agent and its cytotoxicity. Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy 2022 May 8:39:102904

Negron M, Kristensen J, Nguyen VT, Gansereit LE, Raucci FJ, Chariker JL, Heck A, Brula I, Kitchen G, Awgulewitsch CP, Zhong L, Rouchka EC, Banga S, Galindo CL. Sex-Based Differences in Cardiac Gene Expression and Function in BDNF Val66Met Mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jun 29; 22(13):7002

Dowis K, Banga S. The Potential Health Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2021 May 13; 13(5):1654

Belekov E, Kholikov K, Cooper L, Banga S, and Er AO. Improved Antimicrobial Properties of Methylene Blue Attached to Silver Nanoparticles. Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy 2020 Sep 15:102012

Banga S, Coursen JD, Portugal S, Tran TM, Hancox L, Ongoiba A, Traore B, Doumbo OK, Huang CY, Harty JT and Crompton PD. Impact of acute malaria on pre-existing antibodies to viral and vaccine antigens in mice and humans. PLOS One, (2015) 10(4): e0125090

Weber MM, Chen C, Rowin K, Mertens K, Galvan G, Zhi H, Dealing CM, Roman VA, Banga S, Tan Y, Luo ZQ and Samuel JE. Identification of C. burnetii type IV secretion substrates required for intracellular replication and Coxiella-containing vacuole formation. Journal of Bacteriology (2013) 195 (17): 3914-3924

Zhu W, Banga S, Tan Y, Zheng C, Stephenson R, Gately J and Luo ZQ. Comprehensive identification of protein substrates of the Dot/Icm type IV transporter of Legionella pneumophila. PLOS One, (2011) 6(3): e17638

Fontana MF, Banga S, Barry KC, Shen X, Tan Y, Luo ZQ and Vance RE. Secreted bacterial effectors that inhibit host protein synthesis are critical for induction of the innate immune response to virulent Legionella pneumophila. PLoS Pathogens (2011) 7(2):e1001289

Chen C,* Banga S,* Mertens K,* Weber MM, Gorbaslieva I, Tan Y, Luo ZQ and Samuel JE. Large-scale identification and translocation of Type IV secretin substrates by Coxiella burnetti.   PNAS (2010) 107(50): 21755-21760

Authors Contributed Equally.

Xu L, Shen X, Bryan A, Banga S, Swanson MS and Luo ZQ. Inhibition of Host Vacuolar H+-ATPase Activity by a Legionella pneumophila effector. PLoS Pathogens (2010) 6(3):e1000822

Shen X, * Banga S,* Liu Y, Xu L, Gao P, Shamovsky I, Nudler E and Luo ZQ. Targeting eEF1A by a Legionella pneumophila effector leads to inhibition of protein synthesis and induction of host stress response. Cell Microbiol. (2009) 11: 911-926

Authors Contributed Equally.

Liu Y, Gao P, Banga S and Luo ZQ. An in vivo gene deletion system for determining temporal requirement of bacterial virulence factors. PNAS (2008) 105: 9385-9390

Banga S, Gao P, Shen X, Fiscus V, Zong WX, Chen L and Luo ZQ.  Legionella pneumophila inhibits macrophage apoptosis by targeting pro-death members of the Bcl2 protein family.  PNAS (2007) 104: 5121-5126