Division: Pediatric Clinical and Experimental Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Dr. Reyes is a University of Texas System Distinguished Professor and Professor of Pediatrics and Microbiology & Immunology. He received his B.S. in Microbiology from Texas Tech University, Lubbock. He obtained his M.S. in Medical Microbiology from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and his PhD in Immunology from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Dr. Reyes’ research focuses on the regulation of mucosal immune responses at the level of antigen processing and presentation to T cells. He has been active in characterizing the underlying immune mechanisms during infection of the gastric mucosa with Helicobacter pylori(Hp) and how Hp surreptitiously hijacks regulation of host immunity to establish chronic infection leading to gastric cancer. His laboratory has also been elucidating mechanisms leading to inflammatory bowel disease, a dysregulated response to normal flora.

"I am a Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology and Immunology. I currently serve as Associate Director of the Clinical and Experimental Immunology and Infectious Diseases Laboratory in Pediatrics. My group has made multiple contributions in mucosal immunology, including multiple contributions describing the immune response to Helicobacter pylori. Our group has characterized mucosal T cells and cytokine responses to the infection using multiplex arrays, such as those described in this application.  We reported on the effects of H. pylori on the expression of B7 family members (aka immune checkpoint regulators) by the epithelium that impair local T cell responses, including the generation of T regulatory (Treg) cells. We have also characterized the expression on gastric epithelial cells and intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts of proteins and features characteristic of antigen presenting cells and have shown how those cells may regulate the responses of CD4+ T cells as well as promote the expansion of Treg cells. In other recent studies, we have characterized the proteomic and cytokine response of the human gastric epithelium to Helicobacter pylori. Additional ongoing work is defining putative biomarkers of gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease.

My research efforts have resulted in seventeen extramurally funded projects. I have authored more than a hundred peer-reviewed manuscripts and twenty book chapters. I have been a member of the Veterans Administration, Merit Review Subcommittee for Gastroenterology and of multiple NIH study section panels (ZRG1 BM1 01, ZRG1 DIG-C 04, and ZCA1 GRB-P (M1), ZCA1 SRLB-1 (M1) R), ZAI1 LG-M (J1) , ZCA1 RPRB-B (A2) S and ZAI1 PA-I-M3, as well as an ad hoc member in other study sections, such as GMPB multiple times, and a member of various international review panels. In addition, I was invited as a member of a Think Tank called by the NCI to define areas of research that are priorities with regard to cancers linked to infectious agents. I have also been involved in clinical trials to test novel vaccines to smallpox and influenza."