Annelise E. Barron

Annelise E. Barron is the W.M. Keck Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Stanford University.

The broad theme of the Barron lab is the study, biomimicry, and upregulation of natural human host defense peptides (antimicrobial peptides), a key element of our bodies' innate immune defense against pathogens. We study the molecular biophysics and anti-infective mechanisms of LL-37—a centrally important human host defense peptide—and its role(s) in preventing Alzheimer's & Parkinson's diseases. Alzheimer's & Parkinson's dementia can be caused by (or at least, accompanied by) polymicrobial neurological and cerebral infections, a phenomenon receiving keen attention now, given recent discoveries. LL-37 is important in this context because (1) it is a broad-spectrum anti-infective; (2) helps regulate the immune system; and (3) also drives autophagy. Most importantly, (4) LL-37 binds to the Alzheimer's-associated ABeta amyloid peptide preventing fibril formation, and binds to alpha-Synuclein (which accumulates in Parkinson's Disease), again blocking amyloid formation. LL-37's important roles are compromised by its degradation and alteration by pathogen-associated virulence factors. We are therefore, in addition to studying infectious mechanisms of neurological disease, also working to develop biostable peptoid mimics of LL-37 as therapeutics that can combat antibiotic-resistant infections, We are especially interested in neurological infections, eye / ear infections, and sinus / lung infections. In the past, we also have created effective, biostable mimics of human lung surfactant proteins to facilitate delivery of therapeutics to the lungs, treat bacterial and viral pneumonia, or prevent or prevent ventilator-associated lung injury.

We became interested in the pathogenic mechanisms of Covid-19 as relates to dysregulation of innate immunity, especially as regards understanding why certain populations (diabetics in particular, and populations that tend to have lower Vitamin D3 levels or poor metabolic health) seem to be more strongly affected by Covid-19 infections. We aim to develop safe therapeutic and prophylactic approaches to preventing and treating viral and we hope in the future, complex bacterial / fungal / viral co-infections, which are a likely cause of many idiopathic 'autoimmune' diseases, including cognitive impairment and loss, often in the context of poor metabolic health and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Dr. Barron is a chemical and biological engineer with a keen interest in systems-level analyses of the mechanisms of complex human diseases. She was trained in chemical engineering at the University of Washington (B.S., 1990) and U.C. Berkeley (Ph.D., 1995, mentored by Prof. Harvey W. Blanch), and was a Pharmaceutical Chemistry postdoc with Prof. Ken A. Dill (UCSF) and Dr. Ronald N. Zuckermann (Chiron Corp.). She has served on the faculty at Stanford since 2007, and prior to that, worked on the Chemical & Biological Engineering faculty of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL for 10 years (1997-2007). Dr. Barron has been awarded the NIH Pioneer Award via the NIH National Institute on Aging (2020), the Oskar Fischer Award (2022), the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists & Engineers (PECASE) through NIH / NHGRI (1999), the Beckman Young Investigator Award (1999), and the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1998), among other awards. Dr. Barron was the youngest scientist ever to serve on the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Director of the NIH, under Dr. Elias Zerhouni. She has more than 177 publications and a current H-index of 60 (Web of Science, All Databases, Barron Annelise E), and is a co-founder and serves on the advisory boards of a number of biotechnology companies. She is proud to be 1/4 Quechua (the Native American people of Bolivia), 1/4 Spanish, 1/4 Swedish, 1/4 English, and 100% American.