Regents Professor
Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine
Director, Center for Microencapsulation and Drug Delivery

COM South Bldg., 101 Gateway/Room 425 Reynolds Medical Building
College Station, Texas 77843
Phone: 979-458-1024/979-845-2728
Fax: 979-847-9481
Email: a-ficht@tamu.edu

Education

Dr. Rice-Ficht received her Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1980 studying transcriptional regulation in bacteriophage T5 in the laboratory of Richard Moyer. She moved into the area of gene conversion and antigenic variation in trypanosomes at the University of Iowa where she carried out postdoctoral studies with John Donelson. Since 1984, she has been on the faculty at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Medicine studying gene expression in parasites. She has taught courses in the areas of molecular parasitology, molecular biology, genetics and molecular pathogenesis. In 1999 she was named Interim Dean of Research & Graduate Studies of the College of Medicine. From 1999 to 2003 she was Interim Assistant Dean of Research & Graduate Studies for the College of Medicine. Currently she is the Director, Center for Microencapulation & Drug Delivery and was recently awarded a Regents Professorship. She has taught courses in the areas of molecular parasitology, molecular biology, genetics and molecular pathogenesis.

Research Interests

Studies in the Ficht lab are currently focused on 1] Use of unique biomaterials for controlled release of live and subunit vaccines. Our focus is currently directed to the production of vaccines against human Brucellosis and Q fever,but will be applied to the storage and delivery of other vaccines. A study of specific immune mechanisms and potentiation through controlled releases is underway. 2] A study of alpha crystalline structure and function.These unique proteins protect against thermal insult and modulate folding and activity of other proteins

Selected Publications

Arenas-Gamboa, A.M., Ficht T.A., Davis, D.S., Elzer, P.H., Wong-Gonzalez, A., and Rice-Ficht, A.C. (2009) Enhanced immune response of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to live rb51 vaccine strain using composite microspheres. J. Wildl. Dis. 45(1): 165-173.

Arenas-Gamboa, A.M., Ficht, T.A., Kahl-McDonagh, M.M., Gomez, G., and Rice-Ficht, A.C. (2009) The Brucella abortus S19 DeltavjbR live vaccine candidate is safer than S19 and confers protection against wild-type challenge in BALB/c mice when delivered in a sustained-release vehicle. Infect. Immun. 77(2): 877-884.

Arenas-Gamboa, A.M., Ficht, T.A., Kahl-McDonagh, M.M., Rice-Ficht, A.C. (2008) Immunization with a single dose of a microencapsulated Brucella melitensis mutant enhances protection against wild-type challenge. Infect. Immun. 76(6): 2448-2455.

Sarkar, S., Sharma, C., Yog, R., Periakaruppan, A., Jejelowo, O., Thomas, R., Barrera, E.V., Rice-Ficht, A.C., Wilson, B.L., and Ramesh, G.T. (2007) Analysis of stress responsive genes induced by single-walled carbon nanotubes in BJ Foreskin cells. J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol.;7(2): 584-592.

Kang, X.F., Cheley, S., Rice-Ficht, A.C., and Bayley, H. (2007) A storable encapsulated bilayer chip containing a single protein nanopore. J. Am. Chem. Soc.; 129(15): 4701-4705.

Berchane, N., Carson, K.H., Rice-Ficht, A.C., and Andrews, M.J. (2007) Effect of mean diameter and polydispersity of PLG microspheres on drug release experiment and theory. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 337, 118-126.