Infectious Diseases

John Robert Perfect, MD

Professor of Medicine
James B. Duke Professor of Medicine
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases
Professor in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Campus mail Duke Box 102359, Durham, NC 27710
Phone (919) 684-4016
Email address perfe001@mc.duke.edu

Research in my laboratory focuses around several aspects of medical mycology. We are investigating antifungal agents (new and old) in animal models of candida and cryptococcal infections. We have examined clinical correlation of in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing and with in vivo outcome. Our basic science project examines the molecular pathogenesis of cryptococcal infections. We have developed a molecular foundation for C. neoformans, including transformation systems, gene disruptions, differential gene expression screens, and cloning pathogenesis genes. The goal of this work is to use C. neoformans as a model yeast system to identify molecular targets for antifungal drug development. There are a series of clinical trials in fungal infections which are being coordinated through this laboratory and my work also includes a series of antibiotic trials in various aspects of infections. Finally, we have now been awarded a NIH sponsored Mycology Unit for 5 years with 6 senior investigators which is focused on C. neoformans as a pathogenic model system, but will include multiple areas of medical mycology from diagnosis to treatment.

Education and Training

  • Fellow, Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, 1977 - 1980
  • Resident, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 1975 - 1977
  • Intern, Riverside Methodist Hospital, 1974 - 1975
  • M.D., University of Toledo, 1974

Grants

Publications

Shaw, KJ, Schell, WA, Covel, J, Duboc, G, Giamberardino, C, Kapoor, M, Moloney, M, Soltow, QA, Tenor, JL, Toffaletti, DL, Trzoss, M, Webb, P, and Perfect, JR. "In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of APX001A/APX001 and Other Gwt1 Inhibitors against Cryptococcus." Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 62, no. 8 (August 2018).

PMID
29891599
Full Text

Hussaini, SMQ, Madut, D, Tong, BC, Pavlisko, EN, Schell, WA, Perfect, JR, and Thielman, NM. "Pulmonary blastomycosis presenting as primary lung cancer." Bmc Infectious Diseases 18, no. 1 (July 18, 2018): 336-null.

PMID
30021526
Full Text

Perfect, JR, Cornely, OA, Heep, M, Ostrosky-Zeichner, L, Mullane, KM, Maher, R, Croos-Dabrera, R, Lademacher, C, Engelhardt, M, Chen, C, and Marty, FM. "Isavuconazole treatment for rare fungal diseases and for invasive aspergillosis in patients with renal impairment: Challenges and lessons of the VITAL trial." Mycoses 61, no. 7 (July 2018): 420-429. (Review)

PMID
29570857
Full Text

Marty, FM, Cornely, OA, Mullane, KM, Ostrosky-Zeichner, L, Maher, RM, Croos-Dabrera, R, Lu, Q, Lademacher, C, Oren, I, Schmitt-Hoffmann, A-H, Giladi, M, Rahav, G, and Perfect, JR. "Isavuconazole for treatment of invasive fungal diseases caused by more than one fungal species." Mycoses 61, no. 7 (July 2018): 485-497.

PMID
29611227
Full Text

Maskarinec, SA, Parlak, Z, Tu, Q, Levering, V, Zauscher, S, López, GP, Fowler, VG, and Perfect, JR. "On-demand release of Candida albicans biofilms from urinary catheters by mechanical surface deformation." Biofouling (June 13, 2018): 1-10.

PMID
29897277
Full Text

Hortle, E, Johnson, K, Johansen, M, Nguyen, T, Shavit, J, Britton, W, Tobin, D, and Oehlers, S. "Thrombocyte inhibition restores protective immunity to mycobacterial infection." (June 4, 2018).

Full Text

Garcia-Santamarina, S, Festa, RA, Smith, AD, Yu, C-H, Probst, C, Ding, C, Homer, CM, Yin, J, Noonan, JP, Madhani, H, Perfect, JR, and Thiele, DJ. "Genome-wide analysis of the regulation of Cu metabolism in Cryptococcus neoformans." Molecular Microbiology 108, no. 5 (June 2018): 473-494.

PMID
29608794
Full Text

Jain, SK, Tobin, DM, Tucker, EW, Venketaraman, V, Ordonez, AA, Jayashankar, L, Siddiqi, OK, Hammoud, DA, Prasadarao, NV, Sandor, M, Hafner, R, Fabry, Z, and NIH Tuberculous Meningitis Writing Group, . "Tuberculous meningitis: a roadmap for advancing basic and translational research." Nature Immunology 19, no. 6 (June 2018): 521-525.

PMID
29777209
Full Text

Messina, JA, Wolfe, CR, Hemmersbach-Miller, M, Milano, C, Todd, JL, Reynolds, J, Alexander, BD, Schell, WA, Cuomo, CA, and Perfect, JR. "Genomic characterization of recurrent mold infections in thoracic transplant recipients." Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society (May 31, 2018): e12935-.

PMID
29851203
Full Text

Hommel, B, Mukaremera, L, Cordero, RJB, Coelho, C, Desjardins, CA, Sturny-Leclère, A, Janbon, G, Perfect, JR, Fraser, JA, Casadevall, A, Cuomo, CA, Dromer, F, Nielsen, K, and Alanio, A. "Titan cells formation in Cryptococcus neoformans is finely tuned by environmental conditions and modulated by positive and negative genetic regulators." Plos Pathogens 14, no. 5 (May 18, 2018): e1006982-null.

PMID
29775480
Full Text

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