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) , 5420-1More 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) , e66562More 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) , 1342-52More 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) , 594-604More 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) , 947-59More 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) , 185-92More 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) , 337-43More 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) , 5140-7More 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) , 219-25More 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) , 296-303More Information

Ware, Michael W; Villegas, Eric N  (2010). Improved Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst propagation using dexamethasone suppressed CF-1 mice. Veterinary parasitology, 168 (3-4) , 329-31More 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) , 6856-63More 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) , 3477-83More 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