At USF Health, we study how things work in science and then try to apply that to solving medical problems. At the Walter, Dishaw, and Muma labs, our researchers investigate the pathology, mechanisms, and prospective clinical treatments for the disorders affecting the pediatric population.

• The Allergy/ Immunology Lab with Jolan Walter, MD, PhD: 

  Our lab is focused on understanding immune dysregulation, primary immunodeficiency diseases, inflammatory cytokines following exposure to marine toxins, and studies of T cell responses to vaccines.
  
  For more information, visit the lab's website at: https://health.usf.edu/medicine/pediatrics/fellowships/allergy/research-lab. 
  
  

• The Dishaw Lab with Larry Dishaw, PhD: 

  Our lab is focused on understanding how gut immune systems interface with the environment. More specifically, we study how secreted immune effectors evolved to shape the ecology of microbiomes; this includes a focus on bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Our studies leverage, when possible, simple model systems like invertebrate chordates. A portion of our studies are now also focused on determining how early human development is impacted by the gut microbiome, especially after premature birth.
  
  For more information, visit the lab's website at: http://invertegut.net/.
  
  

• The Muma Endowment Lab with Tara Randis, MD, MS:

  Our lab is focused on understanding mechanisms by which maternal infections contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Using novel animal models, we examine the roles of specific microbial factors and the ensuing host immune response to the development of intraamniotic infection, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and neonatal sepsis. 
  
  For more information, visit the lab's website at: https://www.randislab.com/.

• The Ho Lab with Thao (Tina) Ho, DO:

  Our lab is focused on understanding gut health in relation to nutrition and health condition in preterm infants with a focus on anemia and oral iron supplementation. We study gut microbiota using multiomics approach. We use in vitro human enteroid models to understand the bacteria-host interactions.