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| Timothy Casselli, Ph.D., an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology, works in the lab. |
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Casselli as new member in our department,” said Kevin R. Macaluso, Ph.D., professor and Locke Distinguished Chair of Microbiology and Immunology at the Whiddon College of Medicine. “He is an excellent addition to our faculty, bringing expertise in immunopathology and infectious disease that will strengthen the research and teaching mission of the University of South Alabama and USA Health.”
Most recently, Casselli served as an assistant professor of research in biomedical sciences at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He has received numerous awards, and his research has been funded by federal grants.
A member of the review editorial board for the journal Frontiers in Microbiology from 2016-2022, Casselli is also a member of the American Association of Immunologists and the American Society for Microbiology.
Casselli earned a Ph.D. in immunology and infectious diseases from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, an M.S. in microbiology and infectious diseases from the University of Calgary in Calgary, Alberta, in Canada, and a BMS degree in microbiology and immunology from what is now Western University in London, Ontario, in Canada.
Casselli’s research seeks to identify how Borrelia, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, can access the central nervous system and the mechanisms leading to disease known as neuroborreliosis. Ultimately, his research aims to do three things:
- Identify risk factors to learn why some people develop neuroborreliosis while most do not;
- Identify biomarkers because there is not currently a reliable non-invasive test to determine if someone has neuroborreliosis;
- Identify treatments. By learning more about the mechanisms by which Borrelia affects the central nervous system, targeted treatments can be developed.
And while the infection itself is treatable with antibiotics, he said, many patients suffer from continuing symptoms long after the infection appears to be resolved. By studying the lingering effects of Borrelia infection on the central nervous system, Casselli hopes to identify targets for treatments that can bring relief to impacted patients.
