Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal profile
After completing his fellowship in hematopathology, Dr. Olsen became an Instructor in Houston Methodist Research Institute. He was recently awarded a Fellow-to-Faculty transition award from the American Heart Association to investigate virulence genetics in group A Streptococcus. The study will focus on why certain strains are more capable of causing necrotizing fasciitis, or the devastating “flesh eating” disease. He is a member of several professional societies.
Research interests
The research in Dr. Olsen’s laboratory is focused on studying the molecular pathogenesis of invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections such as necrotizing fasciitis (NF, also termed the “flesh eating infection”). During the past several years, there have been marked advances in the study of GAS genetics and epidemiology, but overall knowledge of the key molecular pathways and host-pathogen interactions mediating GAS virulence in invasive deep soft tissue infections remains largely incomplete. Previous studies in the Musser laboratory suggest that the metal transporter of the Streptococcus regulator (mtsR) regulatory gene and/or the genes under its control (the “mtsR Axis”) may play an important role in GAS NF. Dr. Olsen’s laboratory uses an integrated molecular approach to study the “mtsR Axis” in GAS NF. Affymetrix GAS gene expression microarray analysis, Luminex-based human serum protein profiling, tissue microarray examination, flow cytometric analysis, in vivo molecular imaging, quantitative microbial culture, and in vitro immunologic assays will be used for the detailed study of specimens derived from preclinical models and human patients. The long-term goal is to leverage knowledge gained to aid the development of new diagnostic tools, vaccine strategies, and therapeutic agents that will significantly improve patient care.
Education/Academic qualification
Hepatology/Transplant Medicine, Clinical Fellowship, Houston Methodist
Jul 1 2006 → Jun 1 2007
Award Date: Jun 1 2007
Pathology, Residency, Baylor College of Medicine
Jul 1 2003 → Jun 1 2006
Award Date: Jun 1 2006
MD, University of Nebraska Medical School, Omaha, NE
Aug 1 1996 → May 1 2003
Award Date: May 1 2003
Pathology and Microbiology, PhD, University of Nebraska
1997 → 2004
Hematopathology, Research Fellowship, Baylor College of Medicine
External positions
Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
Aug 1 2020 → …
Research Area Keywords
- Infectious Disease & Pathology
Free-text keywords
- Group A Streptococcus
- Necrotizing fasciitis
- Invasive infection
- Pathogen-host interactions
- Microbial virulence
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Molecular Mechanism of Virulence Regulation in Streptococcus Pyogenes
Kumaraswami, M. & Olsen, R. J.
6/7/21 → 5/31/26
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
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Molecular mechanism of streptococcal adaptation to host nutritional defenses
Kumaraswami, M. & Olsen, R. J.
2/25/20 → 1/31/26
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
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Novel Determinants of Streptococcus Pyogenes Virulence and Protective Immunity in the Primate Oropharynx: A Genome-wide Strategy
Musser, J. M., Nagueh, S. & Olsen, R. J.
6/1/21 → 5/31/22
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
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5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Cell-Free DNA Predicts Immunotherapy Response in Lung Cancer
Shao, J., Xu, Y., Olsen, R. J., Kasparian, S., Sun, K., Mathur, S., Zhang, J., He, C., Chen, S. H., Bernicker, E. H. & Li, Z., Apr 2024, In: Cells. 13, 8, 715.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Scopus citations -
Cell-Free DNA 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Signatures for Lung Cancer Prognosis
Shao, J., Olsen, R. J., Kasparian, S., He, C., Bernicker, E. H. & Li, Z., Feb 6 2024, In: Cells. 13, 4, 298.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access2 Scopus citations -
Engineered probiotic overcomes pathogen defences using signal interference and antibiotic production to treat infection in mice
Do, H., Li, Z. R., Tripathi, P. K., Mitra, S., Guerra, S., Dash, A., Weerasekera, D., Makthal, N., Shams, S., Aggarwal, S., Singh, B. B., Gu, D., Du, Y., Olsen, R. J., LaRock, C., Zhang, W. & Kumaraswami, M., Feb 2024, In: Nature Microbiology. 9, 2, p. 502-513 12 p., 9.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access4 Scopus citations -
Analysis of the Genomics and Mouse Virulence of an Emergent Clone of Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis
Beres, S. B., Olsen, R. J., Wesley Long, S., Eraso, J. M., Boukthir, S., Faili, A., Kayal, S. & Musser, J. M., Apr 13 2023, In: Microbiology Spectrum. 11, 2Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access3 Scopus citations -
The response of mpox-associated inflammatory syndrome to steroid therapy
Arias, C. A., Miller, W. R., Olsen, R. J., Gollihar, J. & Armstrong, A., Aug 2023, In: The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 23, 8, p. e323-e324Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › peer-review
Open Access1 Scopus citations
Prizes
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Academic Excellence Award
Olsen, Randall J. (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Best Publication in Translational Research (coauthor)
Olsen, Randall J. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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