Research Interests and Accomplishments

Dr. Pieper is the Associate Director for Proteomics in the Pathogen Functional Genomics Resource Center (PFGRC). He currently directs a variety of proteomics projects related to the molecular analysis of infectious diseases. Such projects include biology- and technology-driven efforts. Dr. Pieper has been involved in establishing technology platforms for proteomic profiling including mass spectrometry, highly parallel protein expression and protein microarrays. The technology platforms are utilized and proteomic datasets are generated to promote research activities that will benefit the broader community of microbiologists specializing on infectious diseases.

Dr. Pieper’s lab has studied subcellular proteomes of Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia pestis and characterized metabolic pathways in Yersinia pestis related to the acquisition of essential nutrients such as iron and phosphate and the type VI secretion system. His lab has also investigated cell surface-localized proteins of Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia pestis that are involved in intercellular adhesion. Recent projects include the comparative analysis of the Shigella dysenteriae proteome derived from in vivo and in vitro samples, a survey of Streptococcus pneumoniae antigens and bacterial fitness of multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. In many of the aforementioned projects, the proteomic lab has collaborated with scientists who are experts in the molecular and/or clinical analysis of these bacterial pathogens.

Dr. Pieper also collaborates with JCVI investigators in projects that require cellular separation and proteomic analysis tools, e.g. in the context of research on human microbiomes and bacterial genome transplants. Dr. Pieper has a particular interest in scientific efforts on neglected and emerging infectious diseases that are of concern in developing nations. Prior to the JCVI, he has performed biochemical and proteomic research at the Technical University of Berlin (1989-1993), Stanford University (1994-1996), the National Cancer Institute (1997-1998) and Large Scale Biology Corporation (1999-2003).

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