Susan Straley

University of Rochester: B.A. 1967 "With Highest Distinction" in Biology Cornell University: Ph.D. 1972, Plant Physiology (minors, Chemistry and Biochemistry) Professor: 1992+, Department of Microbiology and Immunology (now Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics) University of Kentucky Medical Center Associate Professor: 1986 - 1992, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Kentucky Medical Center Assistant Professor: 1983 - 1986, Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Kentucky Medical Center Assistant Professor: 1980 - 1983, Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) Sue Straley's lab studied the plague bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague is highly acute disease, killing animals before they mount an effective immune response. One way the bacteria achieve this is by delivering a set of toxins called Yops into host cells. Contact between Y. pestis and a mammalian cell activates a delivery mechanism that injects virulence proteins called Yops into the cell. The proteins manipulate cellular signaling mechanisms and cause a profound immunosuppression. In collaboration with Drs. Kaplan and Cohen, Dr. Straley's lab identified immunological and molecular targets in host cells for one of the Yops, YopM.