Mariette Barbier, PhD

Associate Professor and Chair

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Microbiology, Immunology & Cell Biology

Classification:

Faculty

• M. Barbier, K.S. Lee, M.S. Vikharankar, S.N. Rajpathak, T.Y. Wong, B.P. Russ, H.A. Cyphert, O.A. Miller, N.A. Rader, M. Cooper, J. Kang, E. Sen Kilic, Z.Y. Wong, M.T. Winters, J.R. Bevere, I. Martinez, F.H. Damron and U.S. Shaligram. Passive immunization with equine RBD-specific Fab protects K18-hACE2-mice against Alpha or Beta variants of SARS-CoV-2. In print at Frontiers in Immunology.
• M. DeJong, M.A. Wolf, G. Bitzer, J. Hall, E. Sen-Kilic, J. Blake, J. Petty, T. Wong, M. Barbier, J. Campbell, J. Bevere, and F.H. Damron. CpG 1018 adjuvant enhances Tdap immune responses against Bordetella pertussis challenge in mice. In print at Vaccines.
• T. Wong, A. Horspool, B. Russ, C. Ye, K. Lee, M. Winters, J. Bevere, O. Miller, N. Rader, M. Cooper, T. Kieffer, J. Sourimant, A. Greninger, R. Plemper, J. Denvir, H. Cyphert, M. Barbier, J. Torrelles, I. Martinez, L. Martínez-Sobrido, and F.H. Damron. Evaluating antibody mediated protection against Alpha, Beta, and Delta SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in K18-hACE2 transgenic mice. Journal of Virology, 2022 Mar 23;96(6):e0218421. doi: 10.1128/jvi.02184-21. Epub 2022 Jan 26.
• E. Sen-Kilic, A.B. Huckaby, F.H. Damron, and M. Barbier. P. aeruginosa type III and type VI secretion systems modulate early response gene expression in type II pneumocytes in vitro. BMC Genomics 23, 345 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-022-08554-0.
• B.B. Kayastha, A. Kubo, R.R. Rogers, R.L. Dohmen, J.L. McCoy, J. Bevere, S. Peng, M. Barbier, G. Cook, J. Deng, and M.A. Patrauchan. Calmodulin-like protein, EfhP, serves as a Ca2+ sensor in a human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nature Scientific Reports 12, 8791 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12584-9.
• K.L. Weaver, C.B. Blackwood, A.M. Horspool, G.M. Pyles, E. Sen-Kilic, E.M. Grayson, A.B. Huckaby, W.T. Witt, M.A. DeJong, M.A. Wolf, F.H. Damron, and M. Barbier. Long-term analysis of pertussis vaccine immunity to identify potential markers of vaccine-induced memory associated with whole cell but not acellular pertussis immunization in mice. Frontiers in Immunology, 2022, 13; doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.838504
• T.Y. Wong, K.S. Lee, B.P. Russ, A.M. Horspool, J. Kang, M.T. Winters, M.A. Wolf, N.A. Rader, O.A. Miller, M. Shiflett, J. Izac-Gude, D. Varisco, E. Sen-Kilic, C. Cunningham, M. Cooper, H.A. Cyphert, M. Barbier, I. Martinez, J.R. Bevere, R.K. Ernst, and F.H Damron. Intranasal administration of BReC-CoV-2 COVID-19 vaccine protects K18-hACE2 mice against lethal SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Nature Vaccines 7, 36 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41541-022-00451-7
• M. Schaller, and M. Barbier. FastTrack, A Strategy to Shorten Time to Degree. FASEB BioAdvances. 2021 Jan; https://doi.org/10.1096/fba.2020-00144
• J.M Hall, J. Kang, S. Kenney, T. Wong, G. Bitzer, C. Kelly, C. Kisamore, D.T. Boehm, M. DeJong, M.A. Wolf, E. Sen-Kilic, A. Horspool, J. Bevere, M. Barbier, and F.H. Damron. Re-investigating the coughing rat model of pertussis to understand Bordetella pertussis pathogenesis. In print at the Journal of Infectious Diseases in April 2021.
• M.A. Wolf, D.T. Boehm, M.A. DeJong, T. Wong, E. Sen-Kilic, J. Hall, C. Blackwood, K. Weaver, C. Kelly, C. Kisamore, G. Bitzer, J.R. Bevere, M. Barbier, and F.H. Damron. Intranasal immunization with acellular pertussis vaccines results in long-term immunity to Bordetella pertussis in mice. Infect Immun. 2020 Dec 14;IAI.00607-20. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00607-20. PMID: 33318136. Highlighted as Infection and Immunity “Spotlight” paper
• A.M. Horspool, T. Kieffer, B.P. Russ, M.A. DeJong, M.A. Wolf, J.M. Karakiozis, B.J. Hickey, P. Fagone, D.H. Tacker, J.R. Bevere, I. Martinez, M. Barbier, P. Perrotta, and F.H. Damron. Interplay of antibody and cytokine production reveals CXCL-13 as a potential novel biomarker of lethal SARS-CoV-2 infection. mSphere Jan 2021, 6 (1) e01324-20; DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.01324-20. PMID: 33472985
• E. Sen-Kilic, C.B. Blackwood, A.B. Huckaby, A.M. Horspool, K.L. Weaver, A.C. Malkowski, W.T. Witt, J.R. Bevere, F.H. Damron, and M. Barbier. Defining the mechanistic correlates of protection conferred by whole-cell vaccination against Pseudomonas aeruginosa acute murine pneumonia. Infect Immun. 2021 Jan 19;89(2):e00451-20. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00451-20. PMID: 33199354 Highlighted as Infection and Immunity “Spotlight” paper
• M.E Grund, S.J. Choi, D.H. McNitt, M. Barbier, G. Hu, P.R. LaSala, C.K. Cote, R. Berisio, and S. Lukomski. Burkholderia collagen-like protein 8, Bucl8, is a unique outer membrane component of a tetrapartite efflux pump in Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 23;15(11):e0242593. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242593. PMID: 33227031
• C.B. Blackwood, E. Sen-Kilic, D.T. Boehm, J.M. Hall, M.E. Varney, T.Y. Wong, S.D. Bradford, J.R. Bevere, W.T. Witt, F.H. Damron, and M. Barbier. Innate and adaptive immune responses against Bordetella pertussis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a murine model of respiratory infection and mucosal whole cell vaccination. Vaccines 2020, 8(4), 647. DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040647. PMID: 33153066.
• L. Brewer, J. John, C. Blackwood, M. Barbier, A. Oglesby-Sherrouse, M. Kane. Development and bioanalytical method validation of an LC-MS/MS assay for simultaneous quantitation of 2-Alkyl-4(1H)-quinolones for application in bacterial cell culture and lung tissue. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 2020 Mar;412(7):1521-1534. DOI: 10.1007/s00216-019-02374-0. PMCID: PMC7223165.
• F. Damron, M. Barbier, P. Dubey, K. Edwards, X. Gu, N. Klein, K. Lu, K.H.G. Mills, M. Pasetti, R. Read, P. Rohani, P. Sebo, E. Harvill. Overcoming waning immunity in pertussis vaccines: Workshop of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. J Immunol. 2020 Aug 15;205(4):877-882. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.2000676. PMID: 32769142; PMCID: PMC7454230.
• M.C. Gestal, L.K. Howard, K. Dewan, H.M. Johnson, M. Barbier, C. Bryant, I.H. Soumana, I. Riviera, B. Linz, U. Mas-Blanchado, E.T. Harvill. Enhancement of immune response against Bordetella spp. by disrupting immunomodulation. Nature Scientific Reports 2019 Dec 30;9(1):20261. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56652-z.
• B.G. Seman, J.K. Vance, T.W. Rawson, M.R. Witt, A.B. Huckaby, J.M. Povroznik, S.D. Bradford, M. Barbier, C.M. Robinson. Elevated levels of interleukin-27 in early life compromise protective immunity in a mouse model of Gram-negative neonatal sepsis. Infection and Immunity 2019. DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00828-19.
• E. Sen-Kilic, C. Blackwood, D.T. Boehm, W.T. Witt, A.C. Malkowski, J. Bevere, T.Y. Wong, S.D. Bradford, J.M. Hall, M.E. Varney, F.H. Damron, and M. Barbier. Intranasal peptide-based FpvA-KLH conjugate vaccine protects mice from Pseudomonas aeruginosa acute murine pneumonia. Frontiers in Immunology 2019. 10:2497; DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02497.
• D.T. Boehm, M.A. Wolf, J.M. Hall, T.Y. Wong, E. Sen-Kilic, M. de la Paz Gutierrez, C.B. Blackwood, S.D. Bradford, K.A. Begley, W.T. Witt, M. Barbier, and F.H. Damron. Intranasal acellular pertussis vaccine provides mucosal immunity and protects mice from Bordetella pertussis. Nature Vaccines 2019 Oct 3;4:40. DOI: 10.1038/s41541-019-0136-2.
• T. Antill Keener, M. Galvez Peralta, M. Smith, L. Swager, J. Ingles, S. Wen, and M. Barbier. Student and faculty perceptions: appropriate consequences of lapses in academic integrity in health sciences education. BMC Medical Education 2019 19:209.
• T.Y. Wong, J.M. Hall, E.S. Nowak, D.T. Boehm, L.A. Gonyar, E.L. Hewlett, J.C. Eby, M. Barbier, F. H. Damron. Analysis of the in vivo transcriptome of Bordetella pertussis during infection of mice. mSphere 2019, 4 (2) e00154-19; DOI: 10.1128/mSphereDirect.00154-19
• M.E. Varney, D.T. Boehm, K. DeRoos, E.S. Nowak, T.Y. Wong, E. Sen-Kilic, S.D. Bradford, C. Elkins, M.S. Epperly, W.T. Witt, M. Barbier, and F. H. Damron. Bordetella pertussis whole cell immunization, unlike acellular immunization, mimics naïve infection by driving hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion in mice. Frontiers in Immunology 2018 vol: 9 pp:2376.
• D.T. Boehm, J.M. Hall, T.Y. Wong, A. DiVenere, E. Sen-Kilic, J.R. Bevere, S.D. Bradford, C.B. Blackwood, C. Elkins, K.A. DeRoos, M.C. Gray, C.G. Cooper, M.E. Varney, J.A. Maynard, E.L. Hewlett, M. Barbier, F.H. Damron. Evaluation of adenylate cyclase toxoid antigen in acellular pertussis vaccines using a Bordetella pertussis challenge model in mice. Infection and Immunity Jul 2018, IAI.00857-17; DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00857-17
• M. Barbier, J. Bevere, and F.H. Damron. In vivo bacterial imaging using bioluminescence. Methods Mol Biol. 2018;1790:87-97. Book chapter.
• A.S. Little, Y. Okkotsu, A. Reinhart, F.H. Damron, M. Barbier, B. Barrett, A. Oglesby-Sherrouse, J.B. Goldberg, W.L. Cody, M.J. Schurr, M.L. Vasil and M.J. Schurr. Pseudomonas aeruginosa AlgR phosphorylation status differentially regulates pyocyanin and pyoverdine production. mBio 2018 vol. 9 no. 1 e02318-17. DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02318-17
• A. Reinhart, A. Nguyen, L. Brewer, J. Bevere, J. Jones, M. Kane, F.H. Damron, M. Barbier, and A. Oglesby-Sherrouse. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PrrF small RNAs regulate iron homeostasis during acute murine lung infection. Infect Immun. 2017 Apr 21;85(5).
• M. Barbier, F.H. Damron. Rainbow vectors for broad-range bacterial fluorescence labeling. PLOSOne. 2016 In print
• J.J. Varga*, M. Barbier*, X. Mulet, P. Bielecki, J.A. Bartell, J.P. Owings, I. Martinez-Ramos, L.E. Hittle, M.R. Davis Jr., F.H. Damron, G.W. Liechti, J. Puchałka, V.M. Dos Santos, R.K. Ernst, J.A. Papin, S. Albertí, A. Oliver, and J.B. Goldberg. Genotypic and phenotypic analysis of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic bronchiectasis isolate reveals differences from cystic fibrosis and laboratory strains. BMC Genomics. 2015 Oct 30;16(1):883. * Co-first author. PMID: 26519161.
• M. Barbier, D. Mittar. Novel Fluorescent Reporters For Studying Host-Pathogen Interactions. Nature Methods Application Notes, 2014 Oct 14;10.1038/an9586. Nature.com.
• M. Barbier*, F.H. Damron*, P. Biekecki, M. Suárez-Diez, J. Puchałka, S. Albertí, V.M. Dos Santos, J.B. Godlberg_. From the environment to the host: re-wiring of the transcriptome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. PLOSOne, 2014 Feb 24;9(2):e89941. * Co-first author. PMCID: PMC3933690.
• I. Martínez-Ramos, X. Mulet, B. Moyá, M. Barbier, A. Oliver, S. Albertí. Overexpression of MexCD-OprJ reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence by increasing its susceptibility to complement-mediated killing. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 2014 Apr;58(4):2426-9. PMID: 24419345
• M. Barbier, J.P. Owings, I. Martínez-Ramos, R. Gomila, F.H. Damron, J. Blázquez, J.B. Goldberg and S. Albertí. Lysine trimethylation of EF-Tu mimics platelet-activating factor to initiate Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. mBio, 2013; vol. 4 no. 3, e00207-13. PMCID: PMC3663188.
• M. Barbier, I. Martínez-Ramos, P. Townsend, and S. Albertí. 20112. Surfactant protein A blocks recognition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by CKAP4/P63 on airway epithelial cells. JID. 2012 Dec; 206(11): 1753-1762. PMID: 22966120.
• M. Barbier, A. Agustí, and S. Albertí. Fluticasone propionate reduces bacterial airway epithelial invasion. Eur Respir J. 2008; 32: 1283–1288. PMID: 18684852.
• M. Barbier, A. Oliver, J. Rao, S.L. Hanna, J.B. Goldberg, and S. Albertí. Novel Phosphorylcholine-Containing Protein of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Chronic Infection Isolates Interacts with Airway Epithelial Cells. JID. 2008; 197:465-473. PMID: 18184091.

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Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis

The research of my laboratory focuses on understanding the interaction between bacterial pathogens and their host to generate novel immunoterapies (such as vaccines and therapeutic antibodies) to fight infections.  

Main pathogens of interest:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major nosocomial pathogen and an important cause of respiratory, blood stream and soft tissue infections. The treatment of these infections is made difficult by the alarming rise in antibiotic resistance detected in the past few years in P. aeruginosa. Our laboratory characterizes the molecular factors involved in the infectious process and the pathogenesis of this bacterium in order to identify novel therapeutics for the treatment of these infections. We use the information learned during our vaccine development efforts to inform the generation of novel therapeutic antibodies against this bacterium.

Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent of whooping cough, or pertussis. Despite high vaccine coverage, we have observed a resurgence of pertussis in the US during the last decade. While acellular pertussis vaccines are highly efficacious and safe, the protection they provide is somewhat short-lived. My laboratory focuses on re-formulating acellular pertussis vaccines with new antigens and adjuvants to improve the longevity of the protection they provide.

Borrelia burgdorferi is also a pathogen of high interest in my laboratory. This bacterium causes Lyme disease, which is endemic in WV and the North-East of the US. Despite high incidence and the highly debilitating consequences associated with infection with B. burgdorferi, there is still no vaccine available for humans. My laboratory uses cutting-edge next generation sequencing to identify novel antigenic targets for vaccine development.

Mentoring style and philosophy:

My mentoring style is to guide trainees by encouraging them to ask the right questions and think about the bigger picture. I like to focus on thinking and planning first, giving the trainees the tools to test hypotheses and answer questions. I guide trainees through this process first by providing relatively hands-on mentoring, and eventually step back and become hands-off as the trainee develops. I have a high attention to details, tend to be well-organized, and am very self-motivated and expect the same of my trainees.

Lab environment and expectations:

The lab is very collaborative. We perform on a daily basis experiments that require all hands on deck.  What it means is that everyone becomes familiar with the work of others and is invested in the collective success of the team and each individual. It also means that trainees dedicate time to lab experiments outside of their PhD dissertation work but the trade off is that trainees are rewarded for their help and participation on other trainee's work by being included as authors on publications. I expect everyone to be highly self-motivated, a good lab citizen, and a great team player. Interactions and open communication with the mentor and others in the lab are really important for a good dynamic. I greatly care about having a highly inclusive environment in the lab and promote diversity. My goal is for everyone to grow scientifically and professionally while in the lab, and set my trainees up for their dream job by providing them the tools they need to be successful - and most important: have fun while doing it!