Johns Hopkins University · Microbiology & ImmunologyCryptococcus Research Unit
Arturo Casadevall · Baltimore, Maryland
Research Focus
Dr. Arturo Casadevall's lab at Johns Hopkins University focuses on understanding the biology of Cryptococcus neoformans, a dangerous fungal pathogen. The lab investigates how this fungus produces melanin, which helps it evade the immune system and resist antifungal treatments. By studying this process, the lab aims to develop new drugs and diagnostic tools to treat infections caused by drug-resistant fungi, ultimately improving health outcomes for people, especially those with weakened immune systems.
Cryptococcus neoformansmelanizationdrug resistanceantibody catalysisfungal infectionsimmunotherapydiagnosticspolysaccharideantifungal agents
Research Aims
4AIM 01Establish the mechanism for Cryptococcus neoformans cell wall melanization.
AIM 02Determine how neutral lipids influence melanin synthesis and deposition.
AIM 03Investigate how melanization affects the interaction between Cryptococcus neoformans and macrophages.
AIM 04Identify inhibitors of Cryptococcus neoformans melanization and their mechanisms of action.
Skills the Lab Values
biochemical assayscell culturespectroscopy techniques (solid state NMR)antibody productionsmall molecule inhibitor screeningpoint-of-care diagnosticslipid analysisviral culture techniquesmouse modelsmolecular biology techniques
Output against the department
Publications1,513top 1% of dept.2nd of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations85ktop 2% of dept.8th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.