Academic Office:
LSUHSC School of Medicine
1901 Perdido Street, Room 3205
New Orleans, LA 70112
Clinical Office:
Ochsner Kenner Medical Center
200 W Esplanade Ave,
Kenner, LA 70065
Bio
I have a longstanding interest in host defense of the lungs against infectious pathogens. Currently I am involved in clinical research directed at how the gut microbiome directs inflammatory responses in the lung. I oversee collection of samples for the LSUHSC COVID 19 Biorepository and am the lead LSUHSC site PI for the NIH-funded Recover Study of subjects with long COVID symptoms. As Director of Clinical Research Resources for the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Research Center, I oversee clinical trials units throughout Louisiana.
Education
Undergraduate:
1966-1970 - B.A.
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
Medical:
1970-1974 - M.D.
Tulane University School of Medicine
New Orleans, Louisiana
Internship:
1974-1975 - Internal Medicine
Northwestern University School of Medicine
Evanston, Illinois
Residency:
1975 - 1977 - Internal Medicine
Northwestern University School of Medicine
Evanston, Illinois
Chief Residency:
1977 - 1978 - Internal Medicine
Northwestern University School of Medicine
Evanston, Illinois
Fellowship:
1978 - 1980 - Pulmonary
University of New Mexico School of Medicine
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Research Fellowship:
1980 - 1982
Laboratory of H. Benfer Kaltredier, M.D.
University of California San Francisco, Cardiovascular Research Institute
San Francisco, California
Affiliated Hospitals & Clinics
- University Medical Center
- Ochsner Kenner Medical Center
- Ochsner Baptist Medical Center
Publications
1. Gu M, Samuelson DR, de la Rua NM, Charles TP, Taylor CM, Luo M, Siggins RW, Shellito JE, Welsh DA. Host innate and adaptive immunity shapes the gut microbiota biogeography. Microbiol Immunol. 2022 Jun;66(6):330-341.
2. Gu M, Samuelson DR, Taylor CM, Molina PE, Luo M, Siggins RW, Shellito JE, Welsh DA. Alcohol-associated intestinal dysbiosis alters mucosal-associated invariant T-cell phenotype and function. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2021 May;45(5):934-947.
3. Samuelson DR, Siggins RW, Ruan S, Amedee AM, Sun J, Zhu QK, Marasco WA, Taylor CM, Luo M, Welsh DA, Shellito JE. Alcohol consumption increases susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia in a humanized murine HIV model mediated by intestinal dysbiosis. Alcohol. 2019 Nov;80:33-43.
4. Samuelson DR, Burnham EL, Maffei VJ, Vandivier RW, Blanchard EE, Shellito JE, Luo M, Taylor CM, Welsh DA. The respiratory tract microbial biogeography in alcohol use disorder. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2018 Jan 1;314(1):L107-L117.
5. Samuelson DR, Shellito JE, Maffei VJ, Tague ED, Campagna SR, Blanchard EE, Luo M, Taylor CM, Ronis MJJ, Molina PE, Welsh DA. Alcohol-associated intestinal dysbiosis impairs pulmonary host defense against Klebsiella pneumoniae. PLoS Pathog. 2017 Jun;13(6):e1006426.
6. Ruan S, Cai Y, Ramsay AJ, Welsh DA, Norris K, Shellito JE. B cell and antibody responses in mice induced by a putative cell surface peptidase of Pneumocystis murina protect against experimental infection. Vaccine. 2017 Jan 23;35(4):672-679.
7. Samuelson DR, Charles TP, de la Rua NM, Taylor CM, Blanchard EE, Luo M, Shellito JE, Welsh DA. Analysis of the intestinal microbial community and inferred functional capacities during the host response to Pneumocystis pneumonia. Exp Lung Res. 2016 Oct - Dec;42(8-10):425-439.
8. Dai G, Rady HF, Huang W, Shellito JE, Mason C, Ramsay AJ. Gene-based neonatal immune priming potentiates a mucosal adenoviral vaccine encoding mycobacterial Ag85B. Vaccine. 2016 Dec 7;34(50):6267-6275.
9. de la Rua NM, Samuelson DR, Charles TP, Welsh DA, Shellito JE. CD4(+) T-Cell-Independent Secondary Immune Responses to Pneumocystis Pneumonia. Front Immunol. 2016;7:178.
Research
Active Grants
Title: Alcohol-induced Dysbiosis and HIV-associated Pneumonia
Sponsor: R21 AA027199 NIH / NIAAA Welsh
Role: Principal Investigator
Dates: 09/24/19 – 08/31/21
Details: This project will uncover mechanisms through which changes in gut microflora influence
host responses to pulmonary infection (the gut-lung axis) and add new knowledge as
to how alcohol and HIV infection impair immunity in the lung.
Title: Institutional Development Award (IDeA) for Louisiana Clinical and Translational Research
Sponsor: National Center for Research Resources (NIH)
Role: Co-Key Component Leader, Clinical Research Resources and Facilities (J Kirwan, PI)
Dates: 7/1/17-6/30/22
Details: This CTSA type grant provides comprehensive infrastructure support for clinical/translational
research for LSUHSC, Tulane Health Sciences Center, and Pennington Biomedical Research
Center. The Clinical Research Resources component will establish clinical research
offices at each institution and provide young investigators access to clinical trials
support as well as other components of the overall award.
Total Award Amount: $20,000,000
Title: Nutrition for Precision Health
Sponsor: National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Disease
Dates: 12/10/21-11/30/26
Details: This study is linked to the All-of-Us genomics study and will investigate dietary
interventions as they impact a variety of health measures and outcomes. Subjects
will be enrolled and studied at LSUHSC in New Orleans as well as at Pennington Biomedical
in Baton Rouge and NIDDK in Phoenix. For Module 1 LSUHSC will enroll and study 600
participants. For Module 2, LSUHSC will enroll and retain 100 participants for dietary
interventions.
Total Award Amount: $8,562,202
Title: IDEA States Consortium for Clinical Research (ISCORE) Network
Sponsor: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Dates: 12/1/21 – 11/30/26
Details: This is a long COVID study with multiple sites across the US. LSUHSC is part of a
hub site including Tulane and Pennington Biomedical Research Institute. Subjects
who have recovered from COVID will be enrolled in the study and will be followed and
tested quarterly for four years.
Total Award Amount: $1,495,699