Current Lab Members
Robert (Bob) Ernst, PhD
Robert (Bob) K. Ernst, Ph.D., is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis in the School of Dentistry and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine. In the fall of 2008, I moved my laboratory from the University of Washington, Seattle, where I was a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a principal investigator with the Northwest Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (NWRCE) to the University of Maryland. I received my B.S. from the State University of New York at Oswego (Biology and Chemistry), an M.A. from SUNY Buffalo (Microbiology), and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia (Microbiology) studying retroviral RNA transport, where I was also a fellow in the Myles H. Thaler Center for Retrovirus Research. Subsequently, I was a senior fellow at University of Washington in the laboratory of Samuel I. Miller (Allergy and Infectious Diseases) from 1997 – 2002 before joining the faculty in 2002.
Managers
Francesca M. Gardner
Francesca M. Gardner
Francesca M. Gardner
Francesca is the Lab Manager and a member of the Ernst lab for the past 10 years. During her tenure she has worked on protein purification, LPS purification, diagnostics in microbiology, and various analytical method development. In more recent years Francesca’s responsibilities have shifted to managing the lab’s various funding lines as well as the Ernst lab’s large NIH contract for adjuvant development. When not at work Francesca spends her time with her husband and children.
Shereece Singleton
Francesca M. Gardner
Francesca M. Gardner
Shereece is the Office Manager in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis providing overall admin support to the department. She has been a UMB employee for over 20 years as an Administrative Professional. Shereece received her Bachelor’s degree from Coppin State University and her Master’s degree from University of Baltimore. She spent eight years in the U.S. Army. Outside of work, Shereece enjoys traveling around the world with her high school girlfriends. She also enjoys hosting Sunday dinners with her son and his family. She has two dogs and a cat that she loves to spoil.
Laboratory Manager
Jane Michalski
Research Assistant Professor
Hyojik Yang, PhD
Hyojik is a Research Assistant Professor in the Ernst laboratory. He works on "Structural analysis of bacterial species-specific molecules by multimodal mass spectrometric approaches." Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing with his daughter.
Research Associate
Sayan Das, PhD
Sayan is a Post-Doc in the Ernst Lab. His current research focuses on developing improved vaccines against Influenza and Yersinia by using adjuvants. He is especially interested in deciphering mechanism of action and correlates of protection afforded by the antigen-adjuvant system.
Graduate Students
Ian O'Keefe
Katie Fairhurst
Katie Fairhurst
Ian is a fifth year PhD candidate in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology graduate program who joined the Ernst lab in June of 2023. He studies the relationship between lipid A structure and function within the bacterial membrane and during infection.
Katie Fairhurst
Katie Fairhurst
Katie Fairhurst
Katie is a second year PhD candidate in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), who joined the Ernst lab in August 2025. She studies the use of lipid A structures (TLR4 ligands) with altered pro-inflammatory responses for application as adjuvants in vaccines.
Administrative staff
