Research in Lin laboratory focuses on medical mycology: We study the molecular mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis and microbial communication and development. We also investigate targeted drug delivery and antifungal vaccine development. The long-term goal of our research is to seek better approaches for the management of fungal diseases and to advance our knowledge about fundamental eukaryotic microbiology.  

We primarily focus on Cryptococcus neoformans, a causative agent for cryptococcal meningitis. This disease is the most common fungal infection of the central nervous system (CNS) and the third most frequent neurological complication in AIDS patients. Cryptococcal meningitis claims hundreds of thousands of lives annually and is responsible for ~19% of deaths in AIDS patients. Human infection is acquired by inhalation of airborne cryptococcal cells from environment and asymptomatic carriage of this fungus is common in the human population. Infection is typically cleared or the fungus can stay dormant (latency). When the host immunity is compromised (due to HIV infection or organ transplant), dormant fungal cells can be reactivated and disseminate hematogenously to cause systemic infection, with a propensity to the CNS. (1) We are interested in cryptococcal life cycle and how it contributes to the progression of cryptococcal disease. (2) We are also interested in the molecular mechanisms underlying cryptococcal morphogenesis as morphotype is tightly linked to cryptococcal virulence. For instance, the filamentous form is attenuated in virulence and it promotes host protective immune-responses.  Investigating the signal transduction pathways that promote cryptococcal filamentation program may provide insights into novel means to mitigate cryptococcal pathogenesis. We are exploring the possibility of using the filamentous strains or antigens presented in cryptococcal filaments as vaccines (whole cell, recombinant protein or nucleic acid vaccines). (3) We are interested in discovery new mechanisms underlying cryptococcal adaptation to host physiological conditions. (4) We are developing targeted antifungal drug delivery system (DectiSomes) to improve the efficacy of antifungal drugs. 

Student Awards

Graduate student Benjamin Chadwick won Paper of the Year Award. UGA Plant Biology. 2022

Graduate student Amber Matha won Outstanding Teaching Assistant award. UGA Center for Teaching and Learning. 2024

Graduate student Nhu Pham won the 2024 ARCS Foundation Scholarship (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) https://arcsfoundation.org/  2024

Graduate student Ran Shi won Dr. Juergen Wiegel Award. UGA Microbiology. https://mib.uga.edu/wiegel-award 2024           

Lab Alumni

Nathan Glueck (former postdoctoral fellow, currently an assistant professor at Mercer University, Georgia)

Amber Matha (former PhD student, currently a faculty at Wilson College, Pennsylvania)

Benjamin Chadwick (former PhD student, currently a postdoctoral fellow at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin)

Yumeng Fan (former PhD student, currently a postdoc at Chinese CDC)

Fanglin Zheng (former postdoctoral fellow, currently a professor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University)

Jianfeng Lin (former PhD student, currently a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA medical school)

Kenton Hipsher (former MS student, currently a staff scientist at Zymergen)

Bing Zhai (former PhD student, currently a professor at Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Rachana Gyawali (former PhD student, currently a senior staff scientist at North Carolina State Lab of Public Health, North Carolina)

Linqi Wang (former postdoctoral fellow, currently a professor at Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Nadia Chacko (former postdoctoral fellow, currently a scientist at LifeMine Therapeutics, Massachusetts)

Xiuyun Tian (former postdoctoral fellow, currently a staff scientist at Peking University Health Science Center)

Xinping Xu (former postdoctoral fellow, currently a professor at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University)

Yunfang Meng (former visiting MD/PhD student, currently a physician at Jianan Hospital)

Srijana Upadhyay (former research associate, currently a research scientist at Texas A&M Vet school)