Helene Andrews-Polymenis, DVM, PhD

Professor

Presidential Impact Fellow

Contact

Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology 8
8447 John Sharp Pkwy Medical Research & Education Building, Room. 3008
Bryan, TX 77807-3260
handrews@tamu.edu
Phone: 979.436.0340
Fax: 979.436.0360

Education and Training

Brown University, AB Biology, 1989
Tufts University, PhD, 1999
Texas A&M University , DVM, 2001

Research Interests

Dr. Andrews-Polymenis joined the faculty in the Department of Microbial and Molecular Pathogenesis at TAMU College of Medicine in 2005 and was promoted to Professor in 2017. Her research focus is the identification of genes required for Salmonella pathogenesis during gastrointestinal and systemic infections, particularly in natural hosts. Her group developed targeted deletion “libraries” in Salmonella Typhimurium to systematically identify genes necessary for infection, with collaborator Michael McClelland. These libraries have been shared at no cost with the entire Salmonella research community, facilitating a large number of studies and transforming the field. Dr. Andrews-Polymenis own genome-wide screening using these tools has revealed Salmonella genes required for infection in mice, chicks and calves. Recently, Dr. Andrews-Polymenis’ research focus has shifted to include work on how host genetics influences disease outcomes after Salmonella infection and Staphylococcus aureus infection. Dr. Andrews-Polymenis is an outstanding mentor to young scientists. She has successfully guided seven postdoctoral fellows and eight doctoral graduate students in her laboratory, the many of whom have become independently funded research scientists as a consequence of her influence. She has also mentored ~30 undergraduate researchers in her laboratory, many of whom have continued on to medical school, veterinary school and other professional science based pursuits. Dr. Andrews-Polymenis is the recipient of the Texas A&M University College of Medicine Junior Faculty Research Award (2010), the TAMU Presidential Impact Scholar Award (2018), elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (2023), and was named outstanding alumna for the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine (2024).

Awards, Recognition and Service

2024 Distinguished Alumni Award, TAMU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences
2023 Elected Member- National Cancer Institute National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN) Gastrointestinal Steering Committee Pancreatic Cancer Task Force
2023 Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology
2018 TAMU Presidential Impact Fellow
Junior Faculty Research Excellence Award conferred by Texas A&M Health Science Center - (College Station, Texas, United States)
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Cum Laude conferred by Texas A&M University - (College Station, Texas, United States)

Representative Publications

Lab Members

Senior Personnel

Dr. Lydia Bogomolnaya, PhD, Assistant Professor for Research
Dr. Jyotsana Gupta, PhD, Associate Research Scientist
Dr. Callie Kobayashi, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Ms. Marissa Talamantes, Research Technician

Graduate Students

Ms. Kristin Scoggin (Co-mentored with David Threadgill)
Mr. Aravindh Nagarajan (rotating)

Undergraduate Students

Christopher Bowden (BIMS program TAMU)
Yara Mohammed (Biomedical Engineering TAMU)
Sandhiya Ravichandran (Biology program TAMU)
Kaya O’Connor (Biomedical Engineering program TAMU)
Connor Mathis (TAMU Undergrad)
Christy Koufteros (Genetics program TAMU)

Graduate Students:

Dr. Christine Sivula, DVM, MA
Dr. Mollie Megan Reynolds, PhD
Dr. Hee-Jeong Yang - PhD
Dr. Tiana Endicott- MD, PhD
Dr. Johanna Elfenbein DVM, - PhD
(Current Position: Assistant Professor, NC State)

Postdoctoral Fellows:

Dr. Yi Zheng (Former Postdoc)
Dr. Jinbai Guo (Former Postdoc)

Trainees

Postdoctoral

Past

Dr. Lydia Bogomolnaya (2005- 2021, now faculty at Marshall University)
Dr. Yi Zheng (2010-2013, now Senior Research Coordinator at Baylor College of Medicine)
Dr. Jinbai Guo (2009- 2012, now postdoctoral fellow in laboratory of Bruce Riley)
Dr. Jyotsana Gupta (2017- 2019, now at Pfizer)
Dr. Callie Kobayashi (2019- 2021, now at Sarepta Therapeutics)
Dr. Kristin Scoggin (Jan- July 2022, currently manages clinical trials)
Dr. Joana Rocha (220-2025) currently works for Texas Sea Grant

Graduate Students

Past

Aravindh Nagarajan (2018- 2023, Ph.D. in Genetics)
2022 U.S. Senator Phil Gramm Fellowship at TAMU- for scholarly excellence in research and teaching.
2022 IMGS Trainee Scholarship- to attend/present data at the national meeting.
2022-23 IGSA-FIN Scholarship- contribution to the Indian community on campus, TAMU
2022 TAMU-COM Graduate Student Organization research symposium- best oral presentation
2022-23 TAMU Aggie Ring Scholarship
2022 Genetics/Genomics Program- Teaching excellence award.
2022 Genetics Society Meeting- best oral presentation award.
2022 J. Malon Southerland Aggie Leader Scholar
Kristin Scoggin, Ph.D. (2016-2021)(Intercollegiate Program in Genetics) co-mentored with Dr. David Threadgill.
Johanna Elfenbein, D.V.M. DACVIM, Ph.D.
(2011- 14, currently Associate Professor at University of Wisconsin) Awarded K08 with a priority score of 20
2015 University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine Distinguished Alumna Award
2015 AVMA/ AVMF Young Investigator Award
2024 holder of the Walter and Martha Renk ( Chair for Preharvest Food Safety, at U. Wisc)
Tiana Endicott, M.D., Ph.D. (2009- 2013 completed Ph.D., MD completed 2015, currently in Pulmonary Critical Care fellowship)
HeeJong Yang, M.A., Ph.D. (2007- 2013) (Currently Post-doctoral fellow, NIH)
Mollie Megan Reynolds, Genetics program, Ph.D. (2006-2009) (Genetics Laboratory Coordinator, TAMU)
Christine Sivula, D.V.M, M.A. (2004-2008, Currently faculty, University of Minnesota)

Current

Charlotte Heide (2023- present, Ph.D. candidate in Medical Sciences)

Undergraduate/Professional :

Taylor Rymer (2023- present) Psychology major, TAMU
Laurel Boatright (2022 summer, fall) TAMU BIMS Undergraduate- summer research program (Graduate student at MD Anderson Winner- Best Poster in the program.
Haley Boyd (2022 summer) D.V.M. Student TAMU- summer research program
Julianna Rodrigues (2022) TAMU Undergraduate Biochemistry Major
Erica Branham (2019-2020) (Graduate Student at University of North Carolina)
Dylan Pfannenstiel (2019 summer) Biology B.S., University of Texas at Austin
Connor Mathis (2018- present) Chemical Engineering major, TAMU
Kaya Mariello (2018-present) Nuclear Engineering major, TAMU
Madison Bartosh (2017- 2019) BIMS major, TAMU (in veterinary school TAMU CVM as of 2018)
Sandhiya Ravichandran (2017-present) Biology major, TAMU (currently medical student at University of Incarnate Word, San Antonio TX)
Maxwell Sheffield (Summer 2017) Biology, Computer Science Major, Whitman College
Christopher Bowden (2016- present) Chemistry Major, TAMU
Yara Mohamed (2016- 2019) Biomedical Engineering Major, TAMU
Tatiana Shirshikova (2014) Undergraduate student at the University of Kazan, Russia
Kanat Tursunov (2013) Fellow at the Foreign Animal Zoonotic Disease Center (FAZD) completing research training in my laboratory.
Allison Schaeffer (Summer 2013) Undergraduate Houston Baptist University (completed Pharmacy School 2017)
Tyler Tatsch (2011-2013) Biochemistry student, UTMB Med School fall 2013
Katherine Andrews (2010-2013) Biochemistry/Biophysics Student - M.D./Ph.D. at Indiana University Fall 2013 - received honorable mention for ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship 2012-2013
Marissa Talamantes (2010-2013) Biology Major TAMU, (currently in graduate school)
Michael Mueller (2011-2012) Biochemistry/Biophysics Student
Kimberley DeAtley (2010 – 2012) Biology (received MD from TAMU)
Yury Ragoza (2009- 2011) Biology BS, (Completed MD, in practice at UT in Tyler TX)
Robert Petrie (2009- 2011) Biology BS, (attended medical school)
Danial Bokhari (2009 Summer) NIH Summer research (Completed MD TAMU)
Tamarah Welch (2008) Biology Student
Aimee Maple (Schlutze) (2008- 2011) Biology BS, (MA in Public Health 2013, Emory University, Currently with the American Diabetes Association)
Hans Verbocht (2008) Internship from the Netherlands (9 months)
Lindsay Aldrich (2007-2008) TAMU BS Genetics, (Completed MD, Baylor, in Family Practice)
Allegra Lamison (2007- 2008) TAMU BS Genetics, (Completed DVM, TAMU 2013, Small Animal Practice in Harlingen TX)
Heather Wingert (2006-2008) TAMU BS Biomedical Science, (Completed MD TAMHSC, Physician in College Station)
Christine Shields (2005-2009) TAMU BS Biomedical Science, (completed DVM TAMU 2014, Equine Practice in Arizona)
Erin Katribe (2006) NIH Summer research program, DVM 2008 TAMU
Andy Bugbee (2006) NIH summer research program, DVM 2008 TAMU
Dan Kiniry (Summer 2004) TAMU Genetics BS Charlotte Lindenblatt(2004) Biochemistry Masters, Ph.D. program in Germany
Jeroen Schouwenberg (2003) Internship from the Netherlands (9 months)
Lindsay Garza (2002-2004) TAMU BS Genetics, (JD UT Austin, Attorney at Baker Botts)
Sebastian Winter (2002) Biochemistry Undergrad Degree, Ph.D. 2010 UC Davis (currently Faculty at UT Southwestern Medical Center