Judith Carol Rhodes, PhD

B.S.: University of Oklahoma Norman, OK, 1971 (Medical Technology)

M.S.: University of Oklahoma Norman, OK, 1973 (Microbiology)

Doctorate: University of California Los Angeles, CA, 1980 (Microbiology and Immunology)

Fellowship: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Bethesda, MD, 1982 (Medical Mycology)

The long-term goal of the research in Dr. Rhodes’ laboratory was to understand the pathogenesis of fungal infections.

Invasive aspergillosis, an often fatal infection of immunocompromised patients caused by the ubiquitous organism Aspergillus fumigatus, was the focus of studies.
The Rhodes lab made significant contributions to the roles played by three different, but related, signal transduction pathways to determine their roles in the pathogenesis of invasive infections.

Two fo these pathways involve members of the ras family of GTPases. The first of these is the rheb pathway (gene = rhbA). RhbA is involved in nutrient sensing, especially nitrogen sensing, and contributes significantly to the pathogenicity of the organsim. Studies using mutants of rhbA were the first to place rheb in the TOR pathway, as an upstream regulator of TOR kinase.

Protein kinase A signaling has been shown to be involved in stress response and virulence in a number of fungal pathogens of plants and animals, and our studies identified two separate catalytic subunit genes with divergent function in regulating carbon catabolite repression. The end result of this is that the ability of A. fumigatus to respond to increases in cAMP is dependent upon on the carbon source present in the medium, and presumably in the environment, including the in vivo environment during infection. These studies on carbon metabolism complement the nutrition studies on nitrogen metabolism mediated through rheb.

Our interest in cAMP-regulated signaling pathways has led to a study of the rasA and rasB genes in A. fumigatus. These genes appear to be responsible for early steps in the developmental pathway that leads to conidiation and the spatial patterning in hyphal growth. Our studies showed that these processes are crucial for the initiation of growth, and thereby, infection

These studies have contributed to a more complete picture of how A. fumigatus is able to deal with the stresses involved in the transition from growth in environmental niches to growth in the mammalian lung, how the invasive growth pattern is initiated and maintained, and what the nutritional cues are that allow this organism to be so nutritionally versatile.

- Professor Emerita, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical Science Building - MSB 1206A

07-2011 - Technical Director, Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics, UC Health, Cincinnati, OH

Grant: #SRS 002551 Investigators:Rhodes, Judith 02-01-2007 -01-31-2008 Chronic Granulomatous Disorder Research Trust Non-oxidative Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte-Mediated Anti-Aspergillus Activity Role:PI Closed 002551-001 Level:Foreign Non-Profit

Grant: #R01 AI061497 Investigators:Rhodes, Judith 04-01-2005 -01-31-2011 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases PKA: Stress Response and Virulence in A. Fumigatus Role:PI Closed 003494-001 Level:Federal

Grant: #5-R01-AI-041119-08-A0-S0-E0 Investigators:Rhodes, Judith 08-01-2001 -05-31-2006 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Function of the Rheb G-Protein in Aspergillus Fumigatus Role:PI Closed 003902-001 Level:Federal

Grant: #5-R01-AI-41119-04-A0-S0-E0 Investigators:Rhodes, Judith 08-01-1997 -07-31-2001 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Virulence Related Genes of Aspergillus Fumigatus Role:PI Closed 004297-001 Level:Federal

Grant: #R01 AI072297 Investigators:Askew, David; Rhodes, Judith 12-01-2007 -11-30-2012 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ER Stress and Virulence of Aspergillus Fumigatus Role:Collaborator Active 005311-001 Level:Federal

Grant: #HHSN2722010000291 Investigators:Cushion, Melanie; Newman, Simon; Rhodes, Judith; Smulian, Alan; Walzer, Peter 03-22-2010 -03-21-2017 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Animal Models of Infectious Diseases Role:Collaborator $1,333,752.00 Active Level:Federal

Grant: #R03AI096014 Investigators:Rhodes, Judith 07-15-2011 -06-30-2014 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Conditions for Rapid Mating in Aspergillus Fumigatus Role:PI $157,000.00 Completed

Peer Reviewed Publications

Fuller, Kevin K; Richie, Daryl L; Feng, Xizhi; Krishnan, Karthik; Stephens, Timothy J; Wikenheiser-Brokamp, Kathryn A; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2011. ) Divergent Protein Kinase A isoforms co-ordinately regulate conidial germination, carbohydrate metabolism and virulence in Aspergillus fumigatus.Molecular microbiology, , 79 (4 ) ,1045-62 More Information

Richie, Daryl L; Feng, Xizhi; Hartl, Lukas; Aimanianda, Vishukumar; Krishnan, Karthik; Powers-Fletcher, Margaret V; Watson, Douglas S; Galande, Amit K; White, Stephanie M; Willett, Taryn; Latgé, Jean-Paul; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2011. ) The virulence of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus requires cooperation between the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation pathway (ERAD) and the unfolded protein response (UPR) .Virulence, , 2 (1 ) ,12-21

Fuller, Kevin K; Zhao, Wei; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2009. ) Deletion of the protein kinase A regulatory subunit leads to deregulation of mitochondrial activation and nuclear duplication in Aspergillus fumigatus.Eukaryotic cell, , 8 (3 ) ,271-7 More Information

Richie, Daryl L; Hartl, Lukas; Aimanianda, Vishukumar; Winters, Michael S; Fuller, Kevin K; Miley, Michael D; White, Stephanie; McCarthy, Jason W; Latgé, Jean-Paul; Feldmesser, Marta; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2009. ) A role for the unfolded protein response (UPR) in virulence and antifungal susceptibility in Aspergillus fumigatus.PLoS pathogens, , 5 (1 ) ,e1000258 More Information

Fortwendel, Jarrod R; Fuller, Kevin K; Stephens, Timothy J; Bacon, W Clark; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2008. ) Aspergillus fumigatus RasA regulates asexual development and cell wall integrity.Eukaryotic cell, , 7 (9 ) ,1530-9 More Information

Bhabhra, Ruchi; Richie, Daryl L; Kim, H Stanley; Nierman, William C; Fortwendel, Jarrod; Aris, John P; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2008. ) Impaired ribosome biogenesis disrupts the integration between morphogenesis and nuclear duplication during the germination of Aspergillus fumigatus.Eukaryotic cell, , 7 (4 ) ,575-83 More Information

Richie, Daryl L; Fuller, Kevin K; Fortwendel, Jarrod; Miley, Michael D; McCarthy, Jason W; Feldmesser, Marta; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2007. ) Unexpected link between metal ion deficiency and autophagy in Aspergillus fumigatus.Eukaryotic cell, , 6 (12 ) ,2437-47 More Information

Richie, Daryl L; Miley, Michael D; Bhabhra, Ruchi; Robson, Geoffrey D; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2007. ) The Aspergillus fumigatus metacaspases CasA and CasB facilitate growth under conditions of endoplasmic reticulum stress.Molecular microbiology, , 63 (2 ) ,591-604 More Information

Rhodes, Judith C (2006. ) Aspergillus fumigatus: growth and virulence.Medical mycology : official publication of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology, , 44 Suppl 1 ,S77-81 More Information

Zhao, Wei; Panepinto, John C; Fortwendel, Jarrod R; Fox, Lauren; Oliver, Brian G; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2006. ) Deletion of the regulatory subunit of protein kinase A in Aspergillus fumigatus alters morphology, sensitivity to oxidative damage, and virulence.Infection and immunity, , 74 (8 ) ,4865-74 More Information

Bhabhra, Ruchi; Zhao, Wei; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2006. ) Nucleolar localization of Aspergillus fumigatus CgrA is temperature-dependent.Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B, , 43 (1 ) ,1-7 More Information

Fortwendel, Jarrod R; Zhao, Wei; Bhabhra, Ruchi; Park, Steven; Perlin, David S; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2005. ) A fungus-specific ras homolog contributes to the hyphal growth and virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus.Eukaryotic cell, , 4 (12 ) ,1982-9 More Information

Vogt, Keith; Bhabhra, Ruchi; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2005. ) Doxycycline-regulated gene expression in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus.BMC microbiology, , 5 ,1 More Information

Bhabhra, Ruchi; Miley, Michael D; Mylonakis, Eleftherios; Boettner, Doug; Fortwendel, Jarrod; Panepinto, John C; Postow, Michael; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2004. ) Disruption of the Aspergillus fumigatus gene encoding nucleolar protein CgrA impairs thermotolerant growth and reduces virulence.Infection and immunity, , 72 (8 ) ,4731-40 More Information

Fortwendel, Jarrod R; Panepinto, John C; Seitz, Amy E; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2004. ) Aspergillus fumigatus rasA and rasB regulate the timing and morphology of asexual development. Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B, , 41 (2 ) ,129-39

Panepinto, John C; Oliver, Brian G; Fortwendel, Jarrod R; Smith, Darcey L H; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2003. ) Deletion of the Aspergillus fumigatus gene encoding the Ras-related protein RhbA reduces virulence in a model of Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Infection and immunity, , 71 (5 ) ,2819-26

Panepinto, John C; Oliver, Brian G; Amlung, Thomas W; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2002. ) Expression of the Aspergillus fumigatus rheb homologue, rhbA, is induced by nitrogen starvation. Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B, , 36 (3 ) ,207-14

Oliver, Brian G; Panepinto, John C; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2002. ) cAMP alteration of growth rate of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger is carbon-source dependent. Microbiology (Reading, England), , 148 (Pt 8 ) ,2627-33

Moy, Terence I; Boettner, Douglas; Rhodes, Judith C; Silver, Pamela A; Askew, David S (2002. ) Identification of a role for Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cgr1p in pre-rRNA processing and 60S ribosome subunit synthesis. Microbiology (Reading, England), , 148 (Pt 4 ) ,1081-90

Oliver, Brian G; Panepinto, John C; Fortwendel, Jarrod R; Smith, Darcey L; Askew, David S; Rhodes, Judith C (2002. ) Cloning and expression of pkaC and pkaR, the genes encoding the cAMP-dependent protein kinase of Aspergillus fumigatus. Mycopathologia, , 154 (2 ) ,85-91

Lu, Yao; Deng, Jingyuan; Rhodes, Judith C; Lu, Hui; Lu, Long Jason (2014. ) Predicting essential genes for identifying potential drug targets in Aspergillus fumigatus.Computational biology and chemistry, , 50 ,29-40 More Information

Feng, Xizhi; Krishnan, Karthik; Richie, Daryl L; Aimanianda, Vishukumar; Hartl, Lukas; Grahl, Nora; Powers-Fletcher, Margaret V; Zhang, Minlu; Fuller, Kevin K; Nierman, William C; Lu, Long Jason; Latgé, Jean-Paul; Woollett, Laura; Newman, Simon L; Cramer, Robert A; Rhodes, Judith C; Askew, David S (2011. ) HacA-independent functions of the ER stress sensor IreA synergize with the canonical UPR to influence virulence traits in Aspergillus fumigatus.PLoS pathogens, , 7 (10 ) ,e1002330 More Information

Turner, K, Belludi, C, Hagen, M, Rhodes, J, Mortensen, J (2013. ) Case Twenty Six: Fatal Fungal meningitis in an Immunocompetent Patient .J Continuing Education Topics & Issues, , 15 (3 ) ,86

Patel, R, Rhodes, J, Spicknall, KE, Mortensen, J (2014. ) Case Twenty Nine: The Synergistic Role of Microbiology and Pathology .J Continuing Education Topics & Issues, , 16 (3 ) ,88

Invited Publications

Fuller, Kevin K; Rhodes, Judith C (2012. ) Protein kinase A and fungal virulence: a sinister side to a conserved nutrient sensing pathway.Virulence, 3 (2 ) ,109-21 More Information

Medical Mycologist,Microbiologist,Clinical Microbiology,Infectious Diseases,Fungal Infections,Fungal Genetics,Molecular Biology of Fungi,Fungal Pathogenesis

Academic - Medical Sciences Building
231 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati  Ohio, 45267-0529
Phone: (513) 558-0130
Fax: (513) 558-2289
judith.rhodes@uc.edu