Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Current Lab Members
Robert K. Ernst, Principal Investigator
Bob 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.
Francesca M. Gardner, Lab Manager
Francesca has been a member of the Ernst lab for over 10 years. During her tenure she has worked on protein purification, LPS purification, diagnostics, 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.
Jane Michalski, Lab Manager
Placeholder text
Hyojik Yang, Research Assistant Professor
Hyojik works on "Structural analysis of bacterial species-specific molecules by multimodal mass spectrometric approaches." Outside of the lab, he enjoys playing with his daughter.
Sayan Das, Research Associate
Sayan's 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.
Ian O'Keefe, Graduate Student
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, Graduate Student
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) for application as adjuvants in influenza vaccines.
Linda Vu, Research Assistant
Placeholder text
Joshua Kolb, Research Assistant
Placeholder text