Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases

HIV infection, viral hepatitis, antiviral drug development, global health research

Opportunistic infections, Transplant infectious disease

HIV infection, Sexually-transmitted diseases

Our laboratory investigates the pathogenesis of the multidrug resistant gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumonia. We focus on virulence factors such as the type III secretion, an apparatus that injects toxins directly into host cells. Other interests are the use of genomic approaches for the identification of novel virulence determinants and the development of novel translational approaches to treat bacterial infections. Our studies utilize a broad range of techniques, including molecular and cellular assays as well as animal models and e...

My research is focused on uncovering mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and other clinically relevant bacterial diseases. We are using comparative bacterial genomics to identify new genes and other factors that contribute to worse outcomes in patients infected with these bacteria.

My research focuses on molecular evolutionary mechanisms of HIV/SIV/influenza in host defense, antiretroviral drug resistance and genetic variation in HIV, HIV susceptibility to HIV infection and disease progression, and how host genetics and immunity affects HIV/influenza infection and dynamics. Research includes next generation sequencing of HIV and host genes and transcriptome to pursue a detailed genetic interrogation of host and virus interactions and host genes that regulate HIV or influenza infection.

Dr. Cohn is an expert in HIV medicine, infectious disease, HIV clinical trials and health services outcomes research. She has been an active participant in the NIH/NIAID AIDS Clinical Trials Group since 1988, and has held numerous leadership positions including Vice Chair and Chair of the Women’s Health Committee and the Outcomes Committee, Vice-Chair of the Underrepresented Populations Committee 2008-2010 and Chair of the Women’s Health Internetwork Scientific Committee (WHISC). She is chair and vice-chair of major protocols pertaining to women's health, self-management and outcomes, recruitm...

My primary clinical interest is in the care of individuals infected with HIV and the complications of HIV infection, including oppurtunistic infections, cancers and metabolic disease. I also specialize in the care of infections seen in recipients of solid organ and stem cell transplants and the evaluation of persons prior to transplantation. Other specific interests that I have are sexually transmitted infections and fungal infections.