Juan Olano

BIOGRAPHY

Juan Olano is an Associate Faculty Member who works with Faculty Member David Walker to recommend the scientific literature in their field.

Professional Education
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M.D. University of Cauca, Columbia Medicine 1987
Resident University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Program 1992–1997
Chief Resident Pathology Residency Program, UTMB Pathology 1996–1997
Post-Doctoral Fellow Clinical Microbiology and Experimental Pathology, Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, UTMB 1997–1999


Honors
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1987 Cum Laude Graduate: Ranked first among 47 graduates, University of Cauca, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
1985, 1986 University of Cauca Scholarships
1983, 1984
1997, 1998 UTMB, Excellence in Research
1995 UTMB, Competitive George Dock Scholarship
1996–1997 UTMB, Excellence in Pathology
1998 Texas Society of Pathology, Third place, Podium presentation, 77th Annual meeting
1998, 1999 American Society for Microbiology Travel Award, Microbes, Hemostasis and Vascular Biology Conference, Texas
1998–1999 UTMB, Outstanding Resident Award
2000 Diplomate of the American Board of Pathology, Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology
2002 Commendation for excellence in laboratory instruction in the Pathobiology and host defense course
2006–2008 America’s Top Doctors
2007 Excellence in Teaching Award. UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
2007, 2008 America’s Top Pathologists


Research Interests
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My research interests are focused on the pathogenesis of obligate intracellular bacteria, namely rickettsiae and ehrlichiae. My long term goal is to study molecular pathogenesis of rickettsioses, specifically on microvascular permeability and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the increased vascular permeability seen in rickettsioses. Specifically, I am interested in adherens- and tight junction proteins and the signal transduction pathways involved in their regulation. Such increased vascular permeability leads to cerebral and pulmonary edema, the two main causes of morbidity and mortality in human rickettsioses. In addition, I also have two funded projects in rickettsial diseases. The first project focuses on the development of ultrasensitive diagnostic methods for rickettsial infections during the acute phase of the disease in collaboration with the University of Houston and Sandia National Laboratories in California; the second project focuses on the development of small animal models to study rickettsioses acquired via aerosols.