College of Veterinary Medicine

Education:

BS, Biology, University of California, Irvine
MS, Microbiology, University of Hawaii
PhD, Infectious Diseases & Pathology, University of Florida

Research Interests:

The primary focus of our research is to understand the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum . We study enzymes involved in functions of the lysosomal-like organelle called the digestive vacuole. Of particular interest is the mechanism by which the parasite uses the digestive vacuole to process and recycle proteins during differentiation and pathogenesis.

An additional area of research involves the development of quantitative PCR methods to identify human pathogens in the environment. We work collaboratively with laboratories aiming to identify sources of marine pollution and the human health risks posed by the presence of waterborne pathogens.

Selected Publications:

For Publications Extracted From Medline Click HERE

Spaccapelo, R., Janse, C.J., Caterbi, S., Franke-Fayard, B., Bonilla, J.A., Syphard, L.M., di Cristina, M., Dottorini, T., Savarino, A., Cassone, A., Bistoni, F., Waters, A.P., Dame, J.B., Crisanti, A. (2007) Plasmepsin 4-deficient Plasmodium berghei are virulence-attenuated and induce immunity against experimental malaria. Submitted.

Palmer, C.J., Bonilla, J.A., Bonilla, T.D., Goodwin, K.D., Elmir, S., Abdelzaher, A.M., Solo-Gabriele, H.M. (2007) Future of microbial ocean water quality monitoring. In Oceans and Human Health: Risks and Remedies from the Sea , Volume In press (P. J. Walsh, L. E. Smith, L. E. Fleming, H. M. Solo-Gabriele and W. H. Gerwick, eds), Elsevier Science Publishers, New York.

Bonilla, J.A., Moura, P.A., Bonilla, T.D., Yowell, C.A., Fidock, D.A., Dame, J.B. (2007) Effects on growth, hemoglobin metabolism and paralogous gene expression resulting from disruption of genes encoding the digestive vacuole plasmepsins of Plasmodium falciparum . International Journal for Parasitology 37, 317-327.

Bonilla, J.A., Bonilla, T.D., Yowell , C.A. , Fujioka, H., Dame, J.B. (2007) Critical roles for the digestive vacuole plasmepsins of Plasmodium falciparum in vacuolar function. Molecular Microbiology 65, 64-75.

Bonilla, J.A., Validum, L., Cummings, R., Palmer, C.J. (2006) Genetic diversity of Plasmodium vivax Pvcsp and Pvmsp 1 in Guyana , South America . The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 75, 830-835.

Woodruff, R.A., Bonde, R.K., Bonilla, J.A., Romero, C.H. (2005) Molecular Identification of a Papilloma Virus from Cutaneous Lesions of Captive and Free-ranging Florida Manatees. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 41, 437-441.

Omara-Opyene, A.L., Moura, P.A., Sulsona, C.R., Bonilla, J.A., Yowell , C.A. , Fujioka, H., Fidock, D.A., Dame, J.B. (2004) Genetic disruption of the Plasmodium falciparum digestive vacuole plasmepsins demonstrates their functional redundancy. Journal of Biological Chemistry 279, 54088-54096.

Palmer, C.J., Xiao, L.H., Terashima, A., Guerra, H., Gotuzzo, E., Saldias, G., Bonilla, J.A., Zhou, L., Lindquist, A., Upton, S.J. (2003) Cryptosporidium muris , a rodent pathogen, recovered from a human in Peru. Emerging Infectious Diseases 9, 1174-1176.

Palmer, C.J., Bonilla, J.A., Bruckner, D.A., Barnett, E.D., Miller, N.S., Haseeb, M.A., Masci, J.R., Stauffer, W.M. (2003) Multicenter study to evaluate the OptiMAL test for rapid diagnosis of malaria in US hospitals. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 41, 5178-5182.

Laubach, H.E., Validum, L., Bonilla, J.A., Agar, A., Cummings, R., Mitchell, C., Cuadrado, R.R., Palmer, C.J. (2001) Identification of Anopheles aquasalis as a possible vector of malaria in Guyana , South America . West Indian Medical Journal 50, 319-321.

Fujioka, R.S., Bonilla, A.J., Rijal, G.K. (1999) The microbial quality of a wetland reclamation facility used to produce an effluent for unrestricted non-potable reuse. Water Science and Technology 40, 369-374

Palmer, C.J., Lee, M.H., Bonilla, J.A., Javier, B.J., Siwak, E.B., Tsai, Y.L. (1995) Analysis of Sewage Effluent for Human-Immunodeficiency-Virus (HIV) Using Infectivity Assay and Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain-Reaction. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 41, 809-815.

Palmer, C.J., Bonilla, J.A., Roll, B., Paszkokolva, C., Sangermano, L.R., Fujioka, R.S. (1995) Detection of Legionella Species in Reclaimed Water and Air with the Enviroamp Legionella PCR Kit and Direct Fluorescent-Antibody Staining. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 61, 407-412.