1. Home
  2. Faculty

J. Muse Davis, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Pediatric-Infectious Diseases

Introduction

The Davis lab uses the zebrafish larva as a model host to understand how the innate immune system interacts with potential pathogens over time, and how that interaction determines outcomes like microbial clearance, persistence or disseminated disease. Particular emphasis is on mechanisms of dissemination by Cryptococcus and the basic biology of granuloma formation and function.

Current Positions

  • Assistant Professor of Pediatric - Infectious Diseases

Education

  • BARCH in Architecture, Mississippi State University
  • PhD in Immunology and Molecular Pathogenesis, Emory University
  • MD, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
  • Pediatrics Residency, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Fellowship in Pediatric Infectious Diseases, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin

Graduate Program Affiliations

Center, Program and Institute Affiliations

Research Interests

  • The Role of Germination in Cryptococcal Virulence and Persistence
  • Granulomas and Granulomatous Inflammation
  • Cryptococcal Dissemination

Licenses & Certifications

  • Iowa Medical License
  • American Board of Pediatrics- General Pediatrics

Selected Publications

  • Nielson JA, Davis JM. (2023). Roles for Microglia in Cryptococcal Brain Dissemination in the Zebrafish Larva. Microbiol Spectr. 2023 Jan 31;11(2):e0431522. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.04315-22. PMID: 36719205.
  • Ristow LC, Davis JM. (2021). The granuloma in cryptococcal disease. PLoS Pathog. Mar 18;17(3):e1009342. PMID: 33735307. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009342.
  • Rosowski, E. E., Knox, B. P., Archambault, L. S., Huttenlocher, A., Keller, N. P., Wheeler, R. T. & Davis, J. M. (2018). The Zebrafish as a Model Host for Invasive Fungal Infections. Journal of fungi (Basel, Switzerland) 4 (4). DOI: 10.3390/jof4040136. PMID: 30551557.
  • Johnson, C. J., Davis, J. M., Huttenlocher, A., Kernien, J. F. & Nett, J. E. (2018). Emerging Fungal Pathogen Candida auris Evades Neutrophil Attack. mBio 9 (4). DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01403-18. PMID: 30131360. PMCID: PMC6106086.
  • Nguyen, J. C., Rebsamen, S. L., Tuite, M. J., Davis, J. M. & Rosas, H. G. (2018). Imaging of Kingella kingae musculoskeletal infections in children: a series of 5 cases. Emergency radiology. DOI: 10.1007/s10140-018-1617-8. PMID: 29909593.
  • Misch, E. A., Saddler, C. & Davis, J. M. (2018). Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Due to Nontuberculous Mycobacteria. Current infectious disease reports 20 (4) 6. DOI: 10.1007/s11908-018-0611-3. PMID: 29556857.
  • Davis JM, Huang M, Botts MR, Hull CM, Huttenlocher A. A Zebrafish Model of Cryptococcal Infection Reveals Roles for Macrophages, Endothelial Cells and Neutrophils in the Establishment and Control of Sustained Fungemia. Infection and Immunity. (2016) Sep 19; 84(10):3047-3062. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.00506-16 Featured on cover image and included in Spotlight section as Article of Significant Interest.
  • Takaki, K., Davis, J. M., Winglee, K. & Ramakrishnan, L. (2013). Evaluation of the pathogenesis and treatment of Mycobacterium marinum infection in zebrafish. Nature protocols 8 (6) 1114-24. DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2013.068. PMID: 23680983. PMCID: PMC3919459.
  • Yang, C. T., Cambier, C. J., Davis, J. M., Hall, C. J., Crosier, P. S. & Ramakrishnan, L. (2012). Neutrophils exert protection in the early tuberculous granuloma by oxidative killing of mycobacteria phagocytosed from infected macrophages. Cell host & microbe 12 (3) 301-12. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2012.07.009. PMID: 22980327. PMCID: PMC3638950.
  • Volkman, H. E., Pozos, T. C., Zheng, J., Davis, J. M., Rawls, J. F. & Ramakrishnan, L. (2010). Tuberculous granuloma induction via interaction of a bacterial secreted protein with host epithelium. Science (New York, N.Y.) 327 (5964) 466-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.1179663. PMID: 20007864. PMCID: PMC3125975.