J. David Beckham M.D.

Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases

Medical School

Baylor College of Medicine (1997-2001)

Residency

Baylor College of Medicine (2001-2004)

Fellowship

University of Colorado Denver (2004-2007)

Research Interests

My research focuses on the pathogenesis of viral infection in the central nervous system (CNS). Viral encephalitis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet there is no proven efficacious therapy for most viral infections of the CNS. Many of the viruses that cause encephalitis, including West Nile virus and herpes simplex virus, cause disease by inducing programmed cell death or apoptosis following neuronal infection. My research utilizes a well described viral encephalitis model using mammalian reovirus infection in primary cortical neurons and the CNS of mice in order to characterize the mechanisms underlying viral-induced apoptosis in neurons.

My research is focused on understanding the role of specific neuronal signaling pathways such as c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling and transforming growth factor-ß signaling following viral infection of neurons. An understanding of the specific cellular events that lead to neuronal cell death following viral infection will likely lead to novel therapies for viral infections of the CNS.

Publications

1. Beckham JD, Goody R, Clarke P, Bonny C, Tyler KL. A novel strategy for the treatment of viral CNS infection utilizing a cell-permeable inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Journal of Virology. 2007. 81(13): 00-00 (in press)

2. Goody R, Beckham JD, Rubtsova K, Tyler KL. JAK-STAT Signaling Pathways are Activated in the Brain Following Reovirus Infection. Journal of Neurovirology. 2007. (in press)

3. Beckham JD and Tyler KL. Developments in the Field of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Rev Neurol Dis. 2007. (in press)

4. Tyler KL and Beckham JD. Management of Acute Shingles. Rev Neurol Dis. 2007. (in press)

5. Beckham JD, Tyler KL. Initial Management of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Adults: Summary of IDSA Guidelines. Rev Neurol Dis. 2006. 3(2):57-60.

6. Beckham JD, Tyler KL. Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Complications. Rev Neurol Dis. 2005. 2(3):158-163.

7. Beckham JD, Cadena A, Lin J, Piedra PA, Glezen WP, Greenberg SB, RL Atmar. Respiratory viral infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Infection. 2005. 50:322-330.