Michal A Olszewski, DVM, PhD

Dr. Olszewski received his PhD and postdoctoral training in pulmonary and host-defenses research. He is directing a fungal immunology research lab at the VA Ann Arbor Hospital and remain funded by the VA since 2002

Dr. Olszewski teaches/directs a PhD level class "Experimental Immunology" (IMM 850) which prepares PhD students for qualifying exams in our T32-funded graduate program. He has successfully trained multiple post docs, grad students undergraduate students and post-bacs towards medical/graduate schools with the ultimate goal of training medical scientist (both physicians and PhDs) with over 95% placement rate at the desired next-step for their careers.

The major focus of Dr. Olszewski's research is on a leading invasive fungal infection, cryptococcosis. Cryptococcal infections continue to have an unacceptably high mortality rate due to the limited effectiveness and toxicity of antifungal drugs, rapidly increasing drug resistance, and the ever-increasing number of susceptible hosts.

The major group of studies focus on immunomodulation mechanisms during infection with Crypto­coccus sp, targeting and dissecting both “poles” of immunomodulation:

a) Host’s factors, including their alterations induced by immunotherapeutic interventions; and

b) Immunomodulatory microbial factors that impact anti-cryptococcal host defenses.

His recent studies fill the critical gaps in under­standing cryptococcal host-pathogen interactions in the lungs, CNS and other organs affected during disseminated disease.