Eric Villegas

PHD: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Philadelphia, PA, 2001 (Immunology and Parasitology)

BA: California State University, Northridge Northridge, CA, 1994 (Molecular and Cell Biology)

Peer Reviewed Publications

Bushon, Rebecca N; Francy, Donna S; Gallardo, Vicente J; Lindquist, H D Alan; Villegas, Eric N; Ware, Michael W (2013. ) Reply to "ranking filter methods for concentrating pathogens in lake water".Applied and environmental microbiology, , 79 (17 ) ,5420-1 More Information

Staggs, Sarah E; Beckman, Erin M; Keely, Scott P; Mackwan, Reena; Ware, Michael W; Moyer, Alan P; Ferretti, James A; Sayed, Abu; Xiao, Lihua; Villegas, Eric N (2013. ) The Applicability of TaqMan-Based Quantitative Real-Time PCR Assays for Detecting and Enumerating Cryptosporidium spp. Oocysts in the Environment.PloS one, , 8 (6 ) ,e66562 More Information

Francy, Donna S; Stelzer, Erin A; Brady, Amie M G; Huitger, Carrie; Bushon, Rebecca N; Ip, Hon S; Ware, Michael W; Villegas, Eric N; Gallardo, Vicente; Lindquist, H D Alan (2013. ) Comparison of filters for concentrating microbial indicators and pathogens in lake water samples.Applied and environmental microbiology, , 79 (4 ) ,1342-52 More Information

Raynal, Maria; Villegas, Eric N; Nelson, Kara L (2012. ) Enumeration of viable and non-viable larvated Ascaris eggs with quantitative PCR.Journal of water and health, , 10 (4 ) ,594-604 More Information

Weilhammer, Dina R; Iavarone, Anthony T; Villegas, Eric N; Brooks, George A; Sinai, Anthony P; Sha, William C (2012. ) Host metabolism regulates growth and differentiation of Toxoplasma gondii.International journal for parasitology, , 42 (10 ) ,947-59 More Information

Rhodes, Eric R; Villegas, Leah Fohl; Shaw, Nancy J; Miller, Carrie; Villegas, Eric N (2012. ) A modified EPA Method 1623 that uses tangential flow hollow-fiber ultrafiltration and heat dissociation steps to detect waterborne Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp.Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE, , (65 ) , More Information

See, Mary J; Staggs, Sarah E; Dubey, J P; Villegas, Eric N (2012. ) Evaluation of four RNA extraction methods for gene expression analyses of Cryptosporidium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii oocysts.Journal of microbiological methods, , 89 (3 ) ,185-92 More Information

Ryu, Hodon; Tran, Hiep; Ware, Michael W; Iker, Brandon; Griffin, Shannon; Egorov, Andrey; Edge, Thomas A; Newmann, Norman; Villegas, Eric N; Domingo, Jorge W Santo (2011. ) Application of leftover sample material from waterborne protozoa monitoring for the molecular detection of Bacteroidales and fecal source tracking markers.Journal of microbiological methods, , 86 (3 ) ,337-43 More Information

Ware, Michael W; Augustine, Swinburne A J; Erisman, David O; See, Mary Jean; Wymer, Larry; Hayes, Samuel L; Dubey, J P; Villegas, Eric N (2010. ) Determining UV inactivation of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by using cell culture and a mouse bioassay.Applied and environmental microbiology, , 76 (15 ) ,5140-7 More Information

Villegas, Eric N; Augustine, Swinburne A J; Villegas, Leah Fohl; Ware, Michael W; See, Mary Jean; Lindquist, H D Alan; Schaefer, Frank W; Dubey, J P (2010. ) Using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and cell culture plaque assays to determine resistance of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts to chemical sanitizers.Journal of microbiological methods, , 81 (3 ) ,219-25 More Information

Massie, Gloeta N; Ware, Michael W; Villegas, Eric N; Black, Michael W (2010. ) Uptake and transmission of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by migratory, filter-feeding fish.Veterinary parasitology, , 169 (3-4 ) ,296-303 More Information

Ware, Michael W; Villegas, Eric N (2010. ) Improved Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst propagation using dexamethasone suppressed CF-1 mice.Veterinary parasitology, , 168 (3-4 ) ,329-31 More Information

Staggs, Sarah E; See, Mary Jean; Dubey, J P; Villegas, Eric N (2009. ) Obtaining highly purified Toxoplasma gondii oocysts by a discontinuous cesium chloride gradient.Journal of visualized experiments : JoVE, , (33 ) , More Information

Brescia, Cristin C; Griffin, Shannon M; Ware, Michael W; Varughese, Eunice A; Egorov, Andrey I; Villegas, Eric N (2009. ) Cryptosporidium propidium monoazide-PCR, a molecular biology-based technique for genotyping of viable Cryptosporidium oocysts.Applied and environmental microbiology, , 75 (21 ) ,6856-63 More Information

Yang, Wenli; Lindquist, H D Alan; Cama, Vitaliano; Schaefer, Frank W; Villegas, Eric; Fayer, Ronald; Lewis, Earl J; Feng, Yaoyu; Xiao, Lihua (2009. ) Detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in water sample concentrates by real-time PCR.Applied and environmental microbiology, , 75 (11 ) ,3477-83 More Information

Matthews, S.; Ginzl, D.; Walsh, D.; Sherin, K.; Middaugh, J.; Hammond, R.; Bodager, D.; Komatsu, K.; Weiss, J.; Pascoe, N.; Marciano-Cabral, F.; Villegas, E.; Visvesvara, G.; Yoder, J.; Eddy, B.; Capewell, L.; Sriram, R.; Bandyopadhyay, K.; Qvarnstrom, Y.; DaSilva, A.; Johnston, S.; Xiao, L.; Hill, V.; Roy, S.; Beach, M. J. (2008. ) Primary amebic meningoencephalitis - Arizona, Florida, and Texas, 2007 .MMWR, , 57 (21 ) ,573-577

Yang, W.; Chen, P.; Villegas, E. N.; Landy, R. B.; Kanetsky, C.; Cama, V.; Dearen, T.; Schultz, C. L.; Orndorff, K. G.; Prelewicz, G. J.; Brown, M. H.; Young, K. R.; Xiao, L. (2008. ) Cryptosporidium source tracking in the Potomac River watershed .Appl Environ Microbiol, , 74 (21 ) ,6495-504

Villegas, E. N.; Glassmeyer, S. T.; Ware, M. W.; Hayes, S. L.; Schaefer, F. W. (2007. ) Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry-based analysis of Giardia lamblia .J Eukaryot Microbiol, , 54 (2 ) ,55S-55S

Villegas, E. N.; Glassmeyer, S. T.; Ware, M. W.; Hayes, S. L.; Schaefer, F. W. (2006. ) Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry-Based Analysis of Giardia lamblia and Giardia muris .J Eukaryot Microbiol, , 53 Suppl 1 (11 ) ,S179-81

Lieberman, L. A.; Villegas, E. N.; Hunter, C. A. (2004. ) Interleukin-15-deficient mice develop protective immunity to Toxoplasma gondii .Infect Immun, , 72 (11 ) ,6729-32

Villegas, Eric N; Lieberman, Linda A; Mason, Nicola; Blass, Sarah L; Zediak, Valerie P; Peach, Robert; Horan, Tom; Yoshinaga, Steve; Hunter, Christopher A (2002. ) A role for inducible costimulator protein in the CD28- independent mechanism of resistance to Toxoplasma gondii. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), , 169 (2 ) ,937-43

Villegas, E. N.; Lieberman, L. A.; Carding, S. R.; Hunter, C. A. (2002. ) Susceptibility of interleukin-2-deficient mice to Toxoplasma gondii is associated with a defect in the production of gamma interferon .Infect Immun, , 70 (9 ) ,4757-61

Villegas, E. N.; Lieberman, L. A.; Mason, N.; Blass, S. L.; Zediak, V. P.; Peach, R.; Horan, T.; Yoshinaga, S.; Hunter, C. A. (2002. ) A role for inducible costimulator protein in the CD28- independent mechanism of resistance to Toxoplasma gondii .J Immunol, , 169 (2 ) ,937-43

Wille, U.; Villegas, E. N.; Craig, L.; Peach, R.; Hunter, C. A. (2002. ) Contribution of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and the CD28/B7 and CD40/CD40 ligand pathways to the development of a pathological T-cell response in IL-10-deficient mice .Infect Immun, , 70 (12 ) ,6940-7

Murphy, M. L.; Wille, U.; Villegas, E. N.; Hunter, C. A.; Farrell, J. P. (2001. ) IL-10 mediates susceptibility to Leishmania donovani infection .Eur J Immunol, , 31 (10 ) ,2848-56

Wille, U.; Villegas, E. N.; Striepen, B.; Roos, D. S.; Hunter, C. A. (2001. ) Interleukin-10 does not contribute to the pathogenesis of a virulent strain of Toxoplasma gondii .Parasite Immunol, , 23 (6 ) ,291-6

Caamano, J.; Tato, C.; Cai, G.; Villegas, E. N.; Speirs, K.; Craig, L.; Alexander, J.; Hunter, C. A. (2000. ) Identification of a role for NF-kappa B2 in the regulation of apoptosis and in maintenance of T cell-mediated immunity to Toxoplasma gondii .J Immunol, , 165 (10 ) ,5720-8

Cai, G.; Radzanowski, T.; Villegas, E. N.; Kastelein, R.; Hunter, C. A. (2000. ) Identification of STAT4-dependent and independent mechanisms of resistance to Toxoplasma gondii .J Immunol, , 165 (5 ) ,2619-27

Reichmann, G.; Walker, W.; Villegas, E. N.; Craig, L.; Cai, G.; Alexander, J.; Hunter, C. A. (2000. ) The CD40/CD40 ligand interaction is required for resistance to toxoplasmic encephalitis .Infect Immun, , 68 (3 ) ,1312-8

Villegas, E. N.; Wells, A. D.; Turka, L. A.; Hunter, C. A. (2000. ) The role of CD28 in the generation and maintenance of protective T cell responses during toxoplasmosis .Faseb Journal, , 14 (6 ) ,A980-A980

Villegas, E. N.; Wille, U.; Craig, L.; Linsley, P. S.; Rennick, D. M.; Peach, R.; Hunter, C. A. (2000. ) Blockade of costimulation prevents infection-induced immunopathology in interleukin-10-deficient mice .Infect Immun, , 68 (5 ) ,2837-44

Wille, U.; Villegas, E. N.; Craig, L.; Peach, R.; Hunter, C. A. (2000. ) Blockade of costimulation and IL-12 prevents immunopathology in IL-12 KO mice after infection with T-gondii .Faseb Journal, , 14 (6 ) ,A980-A980

Reichmann, G.; Villegas, E. N.; Craig, L.; Peach, R.; Hunter, C. A. (1999. ) The CD28/B7 interaction is not required for resistance to Toxoplasma gondii in the brain but contributes to the development of immunopathology .J Immunol, , 163 (6 ) ,3354-62

Villegas, E. N.; Elloso, M. M.; Reichmann, G.; Peach, R.; Hunter, C. A. (1999. ) Role of CD28 in the generation of effector and memory responses required for resistance to Toxoplasma gondii .J Immunol, , 163 (6 ) ,3344-53

Villegas, E. N.; Elloso, M. M.; Reichmann, G.; Peach, R.; Hunter, C. A. (1999. ) The role of CD28 in resistance to T-gondii infection .Faseb Journal, , 13 (5 ) ,A953-A953

Wille, U.; Villegas, E. N.; Striepen, B.; Roos, D. S.; Hunter, C. A. (1999. ) The role of IL-10 in the immune response to ELH, a highly virulent strain of Toxoplasma gondii .Faseb Journal, , 13 (5 ) ,A655-A655

Park, C. S.; Pardhasaradhi, K.; Gianotti, C.; Villegas, E.; Krishna, G. (1994. ) Human retina expresses both constitutive and inducible isoforms of nitric oxide synthase mRNA .Biochem Biophys Res Commun, , 205 (1 ) ,85-91

Villegas, E.; Zareparsi, S.; Mora, P.; Jones, K. C. (1992. ) RESTRICTION ANALYSIS OF THE RDNA REPEAT UNIT OF CHINOOK-SALMON (ONCORHYNCHUS-TSHAWYTSCHA) .Molecular Biology of the Cell, , 3 ,A80-A80

2002-2005 Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Studying host factors that regulate immune responses to infection, Cancer Research Laboratories, Immunology Division, University of California, Berkley, , Berkeley, CA

1997-1997 Student, Biology of Parasitism Course, Marine Biological Laboratories, , WoodsHole, MA