Ingrid Cristina McCall

Lab Manger and Research Scientist
B.S. Department of Microbiology, Javeriana University, Bogota, Colombia
MPH. Occupational and Environmental Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

I just started research in the Levin EcLF Laboratory in September 2014. I am participating in the group’s efforts at developing and evaluating antibiotic treatment regimes that simultaneously maximize the rate of microbiological cure of infections with susceptible bacteria and minimize the likelihood of resistance emerging during the course of therapy. A particular focus of my current research are two projects using human somatic cells; (i) the pharmaco- and population dynamics of antibiotic treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus as planktonic cells and in biofilms associated with mammalian epithelia. (ii) The population dynamics of macrophage predation on antibiotic susceptible and resistant Staphylococcous aureus.

My former position was in the Nusrat and Parkos’ Laboratories in the Emory University Department of Pathology, which just moved to the University of Michigan. As you will see from the following description of the research I did whilst in these Labs, I am, as Evolutionary Biologists would say I am “pre-adapted” for this research with somatic cells. I have a great deal of experience with tissue culture and microscopy. The research in the Nusrat and Parko’s Labs is directed at understanding the biology of intestinal mucosa during health and disease. The mucosal lining of the small and large intestines has a large surface area that tightly regulates nutrient and fluid absorption while providing an effective barrier against entry of pathogens in addition to maintaining a symbiotic relationship with commensal microbes. It is now appreciated that a compromised epithelial barrier contributes to many chronic inflammatory mucosal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease (gluten sensitivity), and food allergies. Epithelial homeostasis, essential for maintaining an effective intestinal barrier, comprises a controlled balance of cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and death. I was particularly involved in studying the effects of inflammation on epithelial homeostasis, with projects focusing on wound repair and effects of inflammatory cytokines on epithelial cell function. 
  

Publications

Weber, D., Sumagin, R., McCall, I., Andargachew, R., Brazil, JC., Nusrat, A., Parkos, CA. Neutrophil-derived JAML inhibits repair of intestinal epithelial injury during acute inflammation. Mucosal Immunology, 2014

McCall, I., Weber, D., Betanzos, A., Nava, P., Miller, G., Parkos, CA. Effects of Phenol on Barrier Function of a Human Intestinal Epithelial Cell line Correlate with Altered Tight Junction Protein Localization. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2009.

Lee, W., Weber, D., Laur, O., Stowell, S.R., McCall, I., Andargachew, R., Parkos, CA. The Rol of Cis dimerization of SIRP (alpha) in binding to CD47. Journal of Immunology, 2009.

Lee, W., Weber, D., Severson, E., McCall, I., Jen, R., Chin, A., Gernet, KM., Parkos, CA. Novel Structural Determinants on SIRP (alpha) that Mediate Binding to CD47. Journal of Immunology, 2007.

Ivanov, AI., McCall, I., Babbin, B., Samarin, S., Nusrat, A., Parkos, CA. Microtubules Regulate Disassembly
of Epithelial Apical Junctions. BMC Cell Biology, 2006.

Zen, K., Liu, Y., McCall, I., Wu, T., Lee, W., Babbin, B., Nusrat, A., Parkos, CA. Neutrophil Migration across epithelial tight junctions is regulated by binding interaction between Epithelial CAR and a JAM-Like Protein on Neutrophils. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2005.

Ivanov, AI., McCall, I., Parkos, CA., Nusrat, A. Role for Actin Filament Turnover and a Myosin II Motor in Cytoskeleton-driven Disassembly of the Epithelial Apical Junctional Complex. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2004.

Mandell, K., McCall, I., Parkos, CA, Involvement of the Junctional Adhesion Molecule-1 (JAM1) Homodimer Interface in Regulation of Epithelial Barrier Function. The Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2004