Professor, Microbial Infection and Immunity
Co-Director, Cure CF Columbus (C3) Immune Core
706 Biomedical Research Tower (BRT)
460 W 12th Ave, Columbus OH 43210
Amal.Amer@osumc.edu
614-247-1566
Courtesy Appointment: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
Membership: Infectious Diseases Institute
Education
PhD, University of Western Ontario, Lindon, Ontario, Canada
Postdoctoral training, University of Michigan, Michigan, USA
Research Interests
Dr. Amer’s research focuses on understanding the interplay between the inflammasome and autophagy pathways and host-pathogen interactions in the lung and the brain. Dr. Amer's innovative projects tackle important questions in innate immunity, inflammasome functions, pathogenesis, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Her lab studies the mechanism of bacterial and viral pathogenesis in the lung including Legionella pneumophila, Burkholderia cenocepacia, MRSA, and SARS-CoV-2. Dr. Amer’s recent work in neuro-inflammation led to the discovery that the inflammasome contributes to Alzheimer’s disease pathobiology and to SARS-CoV-2-mediated brain inflammation. These ongoing NIH-funded topics aim to understand the mechanism by which pathogens evade or exploit host immunity, to establish disease. These projects have implications for the development of new treatments that can apply to different disease conditions.
Working in Dr. Amer’s lab is an exciting opportunity for students and postdocs interested in cutting-edge research. Dr. Amer has trained undergraduate, graduate, MSTP students, postdoctoral, and clinical fellows for more than 18 years at OSU. Her trainees acquire impeccable technical skills, develop critical thinking, and progress to their next goal. Dr. Amer accepts trainees from Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB), Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (BSGP), Neuroscience Graduate Program (NGP), and Master’s programs.
Laboratory
750 Biomedical Research Tower (BRT)
460 W 12th Ave, Columbus OH 43210
614-292-9854
Personnel
Asmaa Badr, Post Doctoral Scholar, badr.6@osu.edu
Mostafa Eltobgy, Research Assistant, mostafa.eltobgy@osumc.edu
Andrew McNamara, Post Doctoral Scholar, andrew.mcnamara@osumc.edu
Michelle Tan, Research Technician, michelle.tan@osumc.edu
Owen Whitham, Graduate Student, owen.whitham@osumc.edu