Martha J. Gentry-Nielsen, Ph.D.
Appointment(s) and Titles:
Professor, Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Creighton University
Professor, Medicine, Creighton University
Education:
B.S. 1969, Bacteriology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
M.A. 1971, Microbiology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
Ph.D. 1984, Veterinary Microbiology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma
Research Interests:
Detrimental effects of ethanol ingestion and smoking on immune defense against microbes.
Development of in vivo assays to measure cellular and non-cellular antibacterial activity within the lung.
Testing of new antibiotics against Streptococcus pneumoniae using rat pneumonia and bacteremia models.
Vaccination strategies against pneumococcal pneumonia, particularly in high-risk patients.
Selected Publications:
Gentry-Nielsen, M.J., L.C. Preheim, K.N. McDonough, B.J. Potter. Models to Mimic Alterations in Serum Iron Homeostasis During Alcohol Abuse and Cirrhosis. Alcohol 23:71-81, 2001.
Alcantara, R.B., L.C. Preheim, M.J. Gentry-Nielsen. Pneumolysin-Induced Complement Depletion During Experimental Pneumococcal Bacteremia. Infect Immun 69:3569-3575, 2001.
Gentry-Nielsen, M.J., E.A. Hartwell, L.C. Preheim, M.U. Snitily. Development of a Rat Model to Determine the Biomedical Consequences of Concurrent Ethanol Ingestion and Cigarette Smoke Exposure. Alcoholism: Clin. Exp. Res. 28:1120-1128, 2004.
Vander Top, E.A., T.A. Wyatt, M.J. Gentry-Nielsen. Smoke Exposure Exacerbates an Ethanol-induced Defect in Mucociliary Clearance of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Alcoholism: Clin Exp Res 29:882-882, 2005.
Olsen, K.M., M.J. Gentry-Nielsen, M. Yue, M.U. Snitily, L.C. Preheim. Effect of Ethanol on Fluoroquinolone Efficacy in a Rat Model of Pneumococcal Pneumonia. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 50:210-219, 2006.
Vander Top, E.A., G.A. Perry, M.U. Snitily, M.J. Gentry-Nielsen. Smoke Exposure and Ethanol Ingestion Modulate Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Killing, But Not Recruitment or Phagocytosis. Alcoholism: Clin Exp Res 30:1599-1607, 2006.
Vander Top, E.A., G.A. Perry, M.J. Gentry-Nielsen. A Novel Flow Cytometric Assay for Measurement of In vivo Pulmonary Neutrophil Phagocytosis. BioMed Central Microbiology 6:61, 2006.
Propst-Graham, K.L., L.C. Preheim, E.A. Vander Top, M.U. Snitily, M.J.Gentry-Nielsen. Cirrhosis-Induced Defects in Innate Pulmonary Defenses Against Streptococcus pneumoniae. BioMed Central Microbiology 7:94, 2007.
Poole JA, Alexis NE, C Parks, AK MacInnes, MJ Gentry-Nielsen, PD Fey, L Larsson, D Allen-Gipson, SG Von Essen, DJ Romberger. Repetitive Organic Dust Exposure in vitro Impairs Macrophage Differentiation and Function. J Allergy Clin Immunol 122:375-382, 2008.
Lectures:
Mechanisms of bacterial virulence and pathogenesis
Gram-negative and Gram-positive cocci
Overviews of mycology and parasitology
Sterilization and disinfection