Patricia Dorn's Home Page

Patricia Dorn, Ph.D. Professor Department of Biological Sciences Loyola University New Orleans 6363 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70118 tel 504.865.3672 fax 504.865.2920 e-mail dorn@loyno.edu
Recent Publications

My laboratory is focused on the control of Chagas disease, a leading cause of heart disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite. Our current focus is the population genetics of the parasite vector, Triatoma dimidiata, in Central America and Mexico. Much of this work has been done in collaboration with the Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology (LENAP), headed by Dra. Carlota Monroy at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala. In addition, in 2006 we identified the first locally-acquired human case in Louisiana and are investigating the Chagas transmission cycle in the southern U.S. including T. cruzi infection rate in the insect vector, Triatoma sanguisuga, non-human primates, dogs and wild animals.

2008-present	Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, LA
2000-2008	Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, LA
1994-2000	Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, LA
2006-present	Adjunct Associate Professor, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
2007-present	Adjunct Associate Professor, Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, LA
2007-present	Adjunct Associate Professor, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA
1992-1994	Visiting Assistant Professor, Biology Dept., Hope College, Holland, MI
1989-1992	Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Parasitology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
1989	Ph.D., Molecular Biology and Virology, Zoology Dept., University of Maryland, College Park, MD
1980	B.A., Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA

Complete CV


Current Courses
Biol A206 & A207	Cell and Molecular Biology Lecture & Lab
Biol A300 & A301	Microbiology Lecture & Lab
Biol Z136	Genetics and Society (upper level, non-majors course)

Population Genetics of Triatoma dimidiata

Chagas Disease in a Primate Colony

PCR diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi

Dra. Carlota Monroy and Dr. Y. Tabaru

Information about Chagas Disease in the U.S.

Recent Publications (*=undergraduate researcher)
Nieto PD, Boughton R, Dorn PL, Steurer F, Raychaudhuri S, Esfandiari J, Gonçalves E, Diaz J, Malone JB (2009). Comparison of two immunochromatographic assays and the indirect immunofluorscence antibody test for diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in dogs in south central Louisiana.Vet Parasitol. Jul 15. [Epub ahead of print]
P. L. Dorn, C. Calderon, S. Melgar, B. Moguel, E. Solorzano, E. Dumonteil, A. Rodas, N. de la Rua, R. Garnica, C. Monroy (2009) Two distinct Triatoma dimidiata (Latreille, 1811) Taxa are Found in Sympatry in Guatemala and Mexico. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 3(3): e393.	link
S. A. Klotz, P. L. Dorn, J.H. Klotz, J. L. Pinnas, C. Weirach, J. R. Kurtz, J. Schmidt “Feeding behavior of Triatomines from the Southwestern United States: An Update on Potential Risk for Transmission of Chagas Disease”. Acta Tropica, 111: 114-118.
JK Blackburn, A Curtis, F Currin Mujica, F Jones, P Dorn, and R Coates (2008) The Development of the Chagas’ Online Data Entry System (CODES-GIS), Transactions in GIS 12(2):249-265.
S. S. Pineda, S. Melgar, P. Dorn, E. Agreda, A. Rodas and C. Monroy (2008) Salivary proteins profiles distinguish Triatomine species and populations of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), J. Med. Entomol., 45(1): 52-58.
Dorn, PL, C Monroy, A Curtis (2007) T. dimidiata: A Review of its Diversity across its Geographic Range and the Relationship among Populations, Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 7:343-352.
Dorn, PL, L Perniciaro, MJ Yabsley, DM Roellig, G Balsamo, J Diaz, D Wesson (2007) Autochthonous Transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi*, Louisiana, Emerging Infectious Diseases, 13: 605-607.	link
Melgar, S; JJ Chávez, P Landaverde, F Herrera, A Rodas, E Enríquez, P Dorn, C Monroy (2007) Number of families of Triatoma dimidiata in a Guatemalan house, Mem Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 102:221-223.	PDF
Dorn, P, P. Buekens, E. Hanford (2007) Whac-a-mole: future trends in Chagas transmission and the importance of a global perspective on disease control, Future Microbology 2(4): 365-367 (Invited editorial).
S. S. Pineda, S. Melgar, P. Dorn, E. Agreda, A. Rodas and C. Monroy Salivary proteins profiles distinguish Triatomine species and populations of Triatoma dimidiata (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), J. Med. Entomol 45(1): 52-58
Dorn, PL; S Melgar , C Combe, A Rodas, C Monroy. (2004) Analysis of Microsatellite markers for population genetic studies of the Chagas disease vector, Triatoma dimidiata . Infection, Genetics & Evolution suppl. 2005.	PDF
Calderón, C I; PL Dorn , S Melgar, J J Chávez, A Rodas, R Rosales, C M. Monroy. (2004) A preliminary assessment of genetic differentiation of Triatoma dimidiata, (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) in Guatemala by RAPD-PCR J. Med. Entomol. 41:882 – 887.	PDF
Dorn, PL , S Melgar, V Rouzier, A Gutierrez, C Combe, R Rosales, A Rodas, S Kott, D Salvia, C. M. Monroy (2003) The Chagas Vector, Triatoma dimidiata* (Hemiptera:Reduviidae), is Panmictic Within and Among Adjacent Villages in Guatemala . J. Med. Entomol. 40:436-440.	PDF
Dorn, PL , J Flores, B Brahney, A Gutierrez, R Rosales, A Rodas, C Monroy. (2001) Comparison of Polymerase Chain Reaction on fresh tissue samples and fecal drops on filter paper for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi* in Rhodnius prolixus . Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 96:503-505.	PDF
Dorn, PL , D Engelke, A Rodas, R Rosales, S Melgar, B Brahney, J Flores , and C Monroy. (1999) Utility of the Polymerase Chain Reaction in detection of Trypanosoma cruzi* in Guatemalan Chagas vectors Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 60: 740-745.	PDF

Loyola University New Orleans

Department of Biological Sciences

last updated 8/14/2009

Copyright © 2001-2009 Dr. Patricia Dorn

The contents of this communication are the sole responsibility of Patricia Dorn and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Loyola University New Orleans.