DETROIT-According to Jeffrey Withey, Ph.D., assistant professor of immunology and microbiology at Wayne State University's School of Medicine, cholera remains a significant worldwide problem, particularly in areas suffering from the effect of war, economic hardship or natural disaster, such as Haiti has faced. With nearly 3,000 cholera cases and more than 250 deaths reported so far in this poor, earthquake-hit nation, United Nations officials say the outbreak is likely to widen.

Withey's research has focused on understanding how the cholera bacteria control expression of the genes required for causing cholera and, in particular, understanding how ToxT, the one protein that activates transcription of nearly all the virulence genes, functions.

Withey received his B.A. in biology from Johns Hopkins University and his Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Michigan. His postdoctoral studies at the University of Michigan focused on cholera, and he has received National Institutes of Health research support and has 12 publications on the subject.

For interviews with Withey, please contact Julie O'Connor at 313-577-8845 or Julie.oconnor@wayne.edu.

Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.