Infectious diseases are a major source of morbidity and mortality. The development of therapeutics and other intervention strategies against these diseases has been hindered by the lack of robust small animal models that accurately recapitulate human disease. In most cases, rodents are not susceptible to infections or are resistant to disease. The lack of robust small animal models of human infectious diseases also poses a major hindrance in studying emerging diseases and investigating human host responses.
The Bility laboratory is broadly interested in elucidating the role of macrophage polarization and coupled iron handling dynamics in host defense, immunity, and the pathogenesis of infectious diseases, utilizing humanized rodent models carrying a human immune system and other organ systems.
In addition to my biomedical laboratory work, my research program also seeks to address foundational questions about the mechanisms of emerging infectious disease epidemics. My research program is developing quantum theoretic-based models of epidemics based on a proposed continuous translational symmetry between non-active matter and active matter. A major focus of this work is understanding the effect of the spin-polarized muons-modulated lithospheric magnetic field on iron-chiral biomolecules interactions in macrophages during weakening in the geomagnetic field.
2000 - 2004 | The Pennsylvania State University | Bachelor of Science
2004 - 2008 | The Pennsylvania State University | Doctor of Philosophy
2009 - 2012 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Postdoctoral Fellow
IDM 2014, Functional Genomics
IDM 2023, Microbiology Laboratory
IDM 3440 Vaccine and Immunity
MSMVM 3435: Tumor Virology
IDM 3440 Vaccine and Immunity
IDM 2001 Molecular Biology of Microbial Pathogens
Biradar S, Agarwal Y, Lotze MT,Bility MT* and Mailliard RB*. (2022). The BLT humanized mouse model as a tool for studying human gamma delta T cell-HIV interactions in vivo. Frontiers Immunology. (*co-senior authors).
Agarwal Y, Beatty C, Ho S, Thurlow L, Das A, Kelly S, Castronova I, Salunke R, Biradar S, Yeshi T, Richardson A, and Bility MT (2020). Development of humanized mouse and rat models with full-thickness human skin and autologous immune cells. Scientific Reports.
Agarwal Y, Beatty C, Biradar S, Castronova I, Ho S, Melody K, and Bility MT(2020). Moving Beyond the Mousetrap: Current and Emerging Humanized Mouse and Rat Models for Investigating Prevention and Cure Strategies Against HIV Infection and Associated Pathologies. Retrovirology.
Akkina R, Barber DL,Bility MT, Bissig KD, Burwitz BJ, Eichelberg K, Endsley JJ, Garcia JV, Hafner R, Karakousis PC, Korba BE, Koshy R, Lambros C, Menne S, Nuermberger EL, Ploss A, Podell BK, Poluektova LY, Sanders-Beer BE, Subbian S, Wahl A (2020). Small Animal Models for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B, and Tuberculosis: NIAID Workshop. Curr HIV Res.
Melody K, Roy C, Kline C, Cottrell M, Evans D, Shutt K, Pennings P, Keele B,Bility MT, Kashuba A, and Ambrose Z (2020). Long-acting rilpivirine (RPV LA) pre-exposure prophylaxis does not inhibit vaginal transmission of RPV-resistant HIV-1 nor select for high frequency drug resistance in humanized mice. Journal of Virology.
Bility MT (2019). Reconciliation of quantum theory and gravitation via redefinition of time in a nondiscrete compressible fluid model of the universe with interactions governed by the Wheeler–Feynman transactional theory in the quantum-equilibrium theory framework. Physics Essays.
Peters JM, Kim DJ,Bility MT, Borland MG, Zhu B, Gonzalez FJ (2019). Regulatory mechanisms mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-�/d in skin cancer. Molecular Carcinogenesis.
Samal J, Kelly S, Na-Shatal A, Elhakiem A, Das A, Ding M, Sanyal A, Gupta P, Melody K, Roland B, Ahmed W, Zakir A, and Bility MT(2018). Human immunodeficiency virus infection induces lymphoid fibrosis in the BM-liver-thymus-spleen humanized mouse model. JCI Insight.
Bility MT, Nio K, Li F, McGivern DR, Lemon SM, Feeney ER, Chung RT, Su L (2016). Chronic hepatitis C infection-induced liver fibrogenesis is associated with M2 macrophage activation. Scientific Reports.
Cheng L, Li F,Bility MT, Murphy CM, Su L (2015). Modeling hepatitis B virus infection, immunopathology and therapy in mice. Antiviral Res.
Bility MT, Sripa B (2014). Chronic Opisthorchis viverrini infection and associated hepatobiliary disease is associated with iron loaded M2-like macrophages. Korean J Parasitol.
Bility MT, Curtis A, Su L (2014). A chimeric mouse model to study immunopathogenesis of HCV infection. Methods Mol Biol.
Bility MT, Cheng L, Zhang Z, Luan Y, Li F, Chi L, Zhang L, Tu Z, Gao Y, Fu Y, Niu J, Wang F, Su L (2014). Hepatitis B virus infection and immunopathogenesis in a humanized mouse model: induction of human-specific liver fibrosis and M2-like macrophages. PLoS Pathogens
Borland MG, Krishnan P, Lee C, Albrecht PP, Shan W,Bility MT, Marcus CB, Lin JM, Amin S, Gonzalez FJ, Perdew GH, Peters JM (2014). Modulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-dependent signaling by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor �/d (PPAR�/d) in keratinocytes. Carcinogenesis.
Bility MT, Zhang L, Washburn ML, Curtis A, Kovalev GI, and Su L (2012). Generation of humanized mouse with both immune system and human liver cells: a model for hepatitis C virus infection and immunopathogenesis. Nature Protocols.
Zhu B, Khozoie C,Bility MT, Ferry C, Blazanin N, Glick A, Gonzalez F, and Peters JM (2012). PPAR�/d crosstalks with E2F and attenuates mitosis in HRAS-expressing cells. Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Washburn ML,Bility MT, Kovalev GI, Zhang L, Buntzman A, Frelinger JA, Barry W, Ploss A, Rice CM, and Su L (2011). A Humanized Mouse Model to Study Hepatitis C Virus Infection, Immune Response, and Liver Disease. Gastroenterology 140(4):1334-1344.
Bility MT, Zhu B, Gonzalez FJ and Peters JM (2009). Ligand activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-�/d (PPAR�/d) and inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) enhances inhibition of skin tumorigenesis. Toxicological Sciences 113(1):27-36.
Bility MT, Devlin MK, Blazanin N, Glick AB, Billin AN, Willson TM, Ward JM, Gonzalez FJ, Peters JM (2008) Ligand activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-�/d (PPAR�/d) inhibits skin carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis 29(12):2406-14.
Shan W, Nicol CJ, Ito S,Bility MT, Kennett MJ, Ward JM, Gonzalez FJ, Peters JM (2008). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-beta/delta protects against chemically induced liver toxicity in mice. Hepatology. 47(1):225-35.
Burdick AD,Bility MT, Girroir EE, Billin AN, Willson TM, Gonzalez FJ, Peters JM (2007). Ligand activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-beta/delta(PPARbeta/delta) inhibits cell growth of human N/TERT-1 keratinocytes. Cell Signaling 19(6):1163-71. 
Kim DJ,Bility MT, Billin AN, Willson TM, Gonzalez FJ, Peters JM (2006).PPARbeta/delta selectively induces differentiation and inhibits cell proliferation. Cell Death Differ.13(1):53-60.
Bility MT, Thompson JT, McKee RH, David RM, Butala JH, Vanden Heuvel JP, Peters JM (2004). Activation of mouse and human peroxisome proliferator- activated receptors (PPARs) by phthalate monoesters. Toxicol Sci 82(1):170-82.
