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 Hospital
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
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Network
-
Molecular Mechanism of Virulence Regulation in Streptococcus Pyogenes
Kumaraswami, M. & Olsen, R. J.
6/7/21 → 5/31/26
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
-
Molecular mechanism of streptococcal adaptation to host nutritional defenses
Kumaraswami, M. & Olsen, R. J.
2/25/20 → 1/31/25
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
-
-
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
-
Determinants of Streptococcus pyogenes fitness in the female primate genital tract: A genome-wide analysis
6/1/19 → 5/31/22
Project: Federal Funding Agencies
-
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 Access -
A Chimeric Penicillin Binding Protein 2X Significantly Decreases in Vitro Beta-Lactam Susceptibility and Increases in Vivo Fitness of Streptococcus pyogenes
Olsen, R. J., Zhu, L., Mangham, R. E., Faili, A., Kayal, S., Beres, S. B. & Musser, J. M., Oct 2022, In: American Journal of Pathology. 192, 10, p. 1397-1406 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
2 Scopus citations -
AHCC® Supplementation to Support Immune Function to Clear Persistent Human Papillomavirus Infections
Smith, J. A., Gaikwad, A. A., Mathew, L., Rech, B., Faro, J. P., Lucci, J. A., Bai, Y., Olsen, R. J. & Byrd, T. T., Jun 22 2022, In: Frontiers in Oncology. 12, 881902.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access3 Scopus citations -
Alignment of Fellowship Training with Practice Patterns for Molecular Pathologists: A Report of the Association for Molecular Pathology Training and Education Committee
Velu, P. D., Cushman-Vokoun, A., Ewalt, M. D., Feilotter, H., Gastier-Foster, J. M., Goswami, R. S., Laudadio, J., Olsen, R. J., Johnson, R., Schlinsog, A., Douglas, A., Sandersfeld, T. & Kaul, K. L., Aug 2022, In: Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. 24, 8, p. 825-840 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open Access2 Scopus citations -
Antibody escape and cryptic cross-domain stabilization in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein
Javanmardi, K., Segall-Shapiro, T. H., Chou, C. W., Boutz, D. R., Olsen, R. J., Xie, X., Xia, H., Shi, P. Y., Johnson, C. D., Annapareddy, A., Weaver, S., Musser, J. M., Ellington, A. D., Finkelstein, I. J. & Gollihar, J. D., Sep 14 2022, In: Cell Host and Microbe. 30, 9, p. 1242-1254.e6Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access8 Scopus citations
Prizes
-
Academic Excellence Award
Olsen, Randall J. (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
Best Publication in Translational Research (coauthor)
Olsen, Randall J. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
-