David A. Stevens
Academic Appointments
- Emeritus Faculty, Acad Council, Medicine - Infectious Diseases
Key Documents
Contact Information
- Academic Offices
Personal Information EmailAlternate Contact Rebecca Gilbreth Admin. Asst. Email Tel Work 408-885-4301
Professional Overview
Honors and Awards
- Charles E. Smith Memorial Award, Coccidioidomycosis Study Group (2006)
- Lucille Georg Medal, International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (2006)
- Outstanding Achievement in Medicine Award, Santa Clara County Medical Association (2003)
- Rhoda Benham Medal, Medical Mycology Society of the Americas (1999)
Scientific Focus
Current Research Interests
Dr. Stevens' group studies the biology, immunology, epidemiology and therapy of fungal infections. They are using molecular fingerprinting systems applied to the genomes of Candida species to develop tools to allow typing and differentiation of clinical isolates and for epidemiological and taxonomic purposes. Fungal signatures are sought in development of rapid and sensitive diagnostic techniques. Animal models are developed and used to study differences in virulence in fungal strains, their biochemical characterization and interaction with host defenses, particularly the role of therapy with recombinant cytokines and other immunomodulators, and preclinical studies of diagnosis. The infections most intensively investigated, with respect to pathogenesis or therapy, are pulmonary and disseminated aspergillosis, coccidioidal meningitis and pulmonary blastomycosis. The laboratory is working on development of vaccines against Coccidioides and Aspergillus. The chemotherapy of fungal infection is also under study including the evaluation of agents in vitro, and for their efficacy, pharmacology, and toxicology in animal models and in human disease. The laboratory is, in addition, a clinical reference laboratory for fungal and actinomycete susceptibility testing, and body fluid antifungal drug concentration determinations, for hospitals in the area. In collaborations with Latin America, the researchers are involved in the study of paracoccidioidomycosis. Mammalian estradiol influence on Paracoccidioides pathogenesis is being investigated by focusing on the block of morphogenetic transformation and the role of the fungal estradiol-binding protein. Paracoccidioides gene expression during morphogenesis, and the events in hormone-mediated block, are under study with DNA microarray technology.
Publications
- Experimental evidence that granulocyte transfusions are efficacious in treatment of neutropenic hosts with pulmonary aspergillosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013; (4): 1882-7
- Halomonas johnsoniae: review of a medically underappreciated genus of growing human importance. Am J Med Sci. 2013; (5): 335-8
- Mycologic catastrophe. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013; (6): 2904
- Phylogenetic analysis reveals a cryptic species Blastomyces gilchristii, sp. nov. within the human pathogenic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. PLoS One. 2013; (3): e59237
- Reflections on the approach to treatment of a mycologic disaster. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013; (4): 1567-72
- Advances in systemic antifungal therapy. Clin Dermatol. 2012 Nov-Dec; (6): 657-61
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