Michael E. Selsted, MD, PhD

Dr. Selsted is a board certified pathologist, physician scientist, and administrator. His academic career includes appointments as Professor (1989-2009) and Chair of Pathology at UC Irvine School of Medicine (2000 – 2009) and Professor and Chair of Pathology in the Keck School of Medicine (2009 – 2024). Dr. Selsted leads a multidisciplinary research program focused on mammalian host defense, innate immunity, and inflammation. This focus led to the discovery and characterization of α-, β-, and θ-defensins, microbicidal and immunomodulatory peptides expressed in myeloid and epithelial cells of vertebrates. These investigations, continuously funded by NIH since 1986, have resulted in more than 50 US and foreign patents, as well as clinical translation of a θ-defensin for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Ongoing studies seek to elucidate the immunoregulatory mechanisms of these peptides, design and application of novel analogs, and application of θ-defensin-inspired macrocyclic peptides in models of autoimmune diseases, cancer, and infections caused by MDR bacterial and fungal pathogens.

• Host defense-stimulating macrocyclic peptides for treatment of MDR bacterial infections
  NIH · R01AI125141 · May 1, 2016 – Apr 30, 2021 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Regulation of Mucosal Immunity by Pro- and Anti-inflammatory Salivary Defensins
  NIH · R01DE021341 · Aug 12, 2010 – May 31, 2015 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Physiologic Peptide Cyclization in Myeloid Cells
  NIH · R01AI058129 · Jun 1, 2004 – May 31, 2009 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Molecular Ontogeny of Oral Mucosal Resistance to SIV
  NIH · R01DE015517 · Dec 15, 2003 – Nov 30, 2009 · Role: Principal Investigator
• DRUG DISCOVERY FOR TREATMENT OF CRYPTOCOCCAL DISEASE
  NIH · U01AI031696 · Aug 1, 1991 – Jul 31, 1995 · Role: Principal Investigator
• MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF LEUKOCYTE ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES
  NIH · R37AI022931 · Jul 1, 1989 – Mar 31, 2012 · Role: Principal Investigator
• Molecular Aspects of Leukocyte Antimicrobial Peptides
  NIH · R01AI022931 · Jul 1, 1986 – May 31, 2019 · Role: Principal Investigator

• Tongaonkar, Prasad
• Camarero Palao, Julio
• Schaal, Justin
• Beringer, Paul
• Klausner, Jeffrey
• Tran, Dat