Bacterial pathogenesis and host defense
Frank R. DeLeo, Ph.D.
Chief, Laboratory of Bacteriology
Chief, Pathogen-Host Cell Biology Section
Education:
Ph.D., 1996, Montana State University
Dr. DeLeo received his Ph.D. in microbiology from Montana State University in 1996, studying the molecular basis of superoxide generation by human neutrophils. He did his postdoctoral training in the area of innate immunity and infectious diseases in the Department of Medicine at the University of Iowa (1996–2000). Dr. DeLeo joined the staff at the NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories in 2000 as a tenure-track investigator. He served previously as Acting Chief (2007-2013) and Chief (2013-2015) of the Laboratory of Human Bacterial Pathogenesis. Dr. DeLeo was appointed to the NIH Senior Biomedical Research Service (2011-2017) and elected as an American Academy of Microbiology Fellow in 2017. He is currently Chief of the Laboratory of Bacteriology.

Brett A. Freedman, M.S.
Biologist
Education:
M.S., 2005, Frostburg State University
I studied wildlife/fisheries biology in graduate school. I changed career paths, working with Dr. Mark Jutila’s immunology group at Montana State University in 2006. I have continued this work as a biologist at Rocky Mountain Laboratories since 2010.
Scott D. Kobayashi, Ph.D.
Associate Scientist, Laboratory of Bacteriology
Education:
Ph.D., 1998, Microbiology, Montana State University
Languages Spoken: French
Natalia Malachowa, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)
Staff Scientist
Education:
Ph.D., Biochemistry, 2008, Jagiellonian University, Krakow Poland
M.Sc., Biology, Molecular Biology specialization, 2003 Jagiellonian University, Krakow Poland
Languages Spoken: Polish, Russian, German
Adeline Rose Porter, B.S. (She/Her/Hers)
Microbiologist
As a member of the DeLeo research group in the Laboratory of Bacteriology, my research focuses primarily on the interaction of human neutrophils with bacterial pathogens.
Former Research Group Members
Postdoctoral Fellows:
2001-2006 Jovanka M. Voyich, Ph.D.
2003-2006 Christopher Burlak II, Ph.D.
2007-2008 Christy L. Ventura, Ph.D.
2005-2009 Amy Palazzolo-Ballance, Ph.D.
2005-2010 Adam D. Kennedy, Ph.D.
2010-2012 Kevin M. Rigby, Ph.D.
2012-2014 Thea Lu, Ph.D.
2013-2015 Amanda J. Brinkworth, Ph.D.
2014-2016 Tyler Nygaard, Ph.D.
2018-2021 Shayla Hesse, M.D.
2019-2020 Qingjing Wang, Ph.D.
2019-2022 Viktoria Rungelrath, Ph.D.
2019-2022 Clement Opoku-Temeng, Ph.D.
Graduate Students (Ph.D. Students):
2007-2011 Shawna F. Graves, Ph.D.
2011-2012 Devon L. Rasmussen, D.D.S.
Post-Bac IRTAs:
2006-2007 Antonia Thomas, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
2008-2009 Ashley Warren, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
2015-2017 Will McGuinness, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT