Luke Helminiak

luke.helminiak@stonybrook.edu
Advisor: Hwan Kim

B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2015, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

The focus of my research is understanding the pathogenicity of Spotted fever group Rickettsia, obligate intracellular pathogen that is primarily spread by Ixodidae ticks. My work is focused on deciphering function, secretion pathways, and functional domains of pathogenic factors within Rickettsia. Our lab hopes to better understand how Rickettsia effectively infects and causes disease in humans.

Honors and Awards:
T32 grant awardee: 2021-2023
American Society of Rickettsiology (ASR) Travel grant: 2023

Publications:
1. Helminiak L, Mishra S, Kim HK. Pathogenicity and virulence of Rickettsia. Virulence. 2022;13(1):1752-1771. doi:10.1080/21505594.2022.2132047
2. Yen WY, Stern K, Mishra S, Helminiak L, Sanchez-Vicente S, Kim HK. Virulence potential of Rickettsia amblyommatis for spotted fever pathogenesis in mice. Pathog Dis. 2021;79(5):1-9. doi:10.1093/femspd/ftab024
3. Sohn SY, Hearing J, Mugavero JA, Kirillov V, Gorbunova E, Helminiak L, Mishra S, Mackow E, Hearing P, Reich NC, Kim HK. Interferon-Lambda Intranasal Protection and Differential Sex Pathology in a Murine Model of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. MBio. 2021;12(6). doi:10.1128/mBio.02756-21