Marco Goicochea Ph.D.
Education
- Ph.D. University of Maryland, Baltimore, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (2012)
- B.D. Washington & Lee University, Biology (2002)
Professional Experience
- Stevenson University, Assistant Professor 2022-Present
- Towson University, Lecturer/Adjunct Professor 2012-2021
- Notre Dame University of Maryland, Adjunct Professor 2012
- Community College of Baltimore County, Adjunct Professor 2012-2013
Research
My degree is in microbiology and immunology and my graduate work was in vaccine development. While my original passion revolved around infectious diseases, it has evolved into a more specific interest in the role of the immune system and how it combats disease, both infectious and non-infectious alike. My current research project aims to test the ability to train a subset of our own immune cells, called natural killer (NK) cells to target and destroy cancer in patients. We hope to be able to differentiate NKs for this purpose from commercially available stem cells rather than harvesting cells directly from the patient themselves, as currently seen in chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies on the market today. This CAR-NK would be a novel cancer therapeutic
In addition to my interest in immunology and infectious disease, SU is also involved with a global research project called Tiny Earth, as part of our BIO 203 lab curriculum. This project aims to discover new antimicrobial drubs from soil bacteria to fight the ongoing antibiotic crises we are experiencing due the rise of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. As such, I hope to work with motivated students to continue this project past the stages students will reach in the laboratory semester for BIO 203.
Publications
- Zapata JC, Goicochea M, Nadai Y, Eyzaguirre LM, Carr JK, Tallon LJ, Sadzewicz L, Myers G, Fraser CM, Su Q, Djavani M, Lukashevich IS, Salvato MS. Genetic variation in vitro and in vivo of an attenuated Lassa vaccine candidate. J Virol. 2014 Mar;88(6):3058-66
- Zapata JC, Poonia B, Bryant J, Davis H, Ateh E, George L, Crasta O, Zhang Y, Slezak T, Jaing C, Pauza CD, Goicochea M, Moshkoff D, Lukashevich IS, Salvato MS. An attenuated Lassa vaccine in SIV-infected rhesus macaques does not persist or cause arenavirus disease but does elicit Lassa virus-specific immunity. Virol J. 2013 Feb 12;10:52.
- Goicochea MA, Zapata JC, Bryant J, Harry D, Salvato MS, Lukashevich IS. Evaluation of Lassa virus vaccine immunogenicity in a CBA/J-ML29 mouse model. Vaccine. 2012 Feb 14; 30(8):1445-1452.
- Jiang X, Dalebout TJ, Bredenbeek PJ, Carrion R Jr, Brasky K, Patterson J, Goicochea M, Bryant J, Salvato MS, Lukashevich IS. Yellow fever 17D-vectored vaccines expressing Lassa virus GP1and GP2 glycoproteins provide protection against fatal disease in guinea pigs. Vaccine. 2011 Feb 1; 29(6):1248-57.
- Lukashevich IS, Carrion R Jr, Salvato MS, Mansfield K, Brasky K, Zapata J, Cairo C, Goicochea M, Hoosien GE, Ticer A, Bryant J, Davis H, Hammamieh R, Mayda M, Jett M, Patterson J. (2008). Safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the ML29 reassortant vaccine for Lassa Fever in small non-human primates. Vaccine. 2008 Sep 26; 26(41):5246-54.
- Marsh DM, Goicochea MA. Monitoring of terrestrial salamanders: biases caused by intense sampling and choice of cover objects. Journal of herpetology. 2003; 37(3):460-466.
Teaching
- BIO 113 – General Biology I: Cell and Genetics
- BIO 203 – Microbiology
- BIO 203L – Microbiology Laboratory: Tiny Earth
- BIO 218 – Career Connections in Life Sciences
- BIO 313 – Virology
- BIO 332 – Epidemiology
- BIO 335 – Immunology
- BIO 365 – Independent Research
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