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J. David Beckham, MD

Assistant Professor

Office Phone: 303-724-4922
Lab Phone: 303-724-4334
E-mail: david.beckham@ucdenver.edu
Address: University of Colorado
12700 E. 19th Avenue, B168
Denver, CO 80045

Medical School
Baylor College of Medicine (1997-2001)

Residency
Baylor College of Medicine (2001-2004)

Fellowship
University of Colorado Denver (2004-2007)

Our laboratory studies the pathogenesis of viral infections in the central nervous system. In general, we study the mechanisms of viral-induced neuronal death and the host neuronal responses to infection. Our current work evaluates the mechanisms of virus-induced apoptosis and autophagy in West Nile virus infected primary neuron cultures, organotypic brain slice cultures, and in a mouse model of West Nile virus encephalitis. We are using these models of viral encephalitis to evaluate the role of virus-induced autophagy in the central nervous system. We have also found that West Nile virus activates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling following infection and that mTOR inhibitors significantly decrease viral replication in the central nervous system. Our laboratory is currently evaluating the mechanisms of virus-induced mTOR activity and the mechanisms of mTOR-dependent support of viral replication and growth. Lastly, our laboratory is working to understand the role of the human virome in the upper airway in patients with invasive viral and bacterial infections. We utilize next-generation sequencing to characterize viral biodiversity and taxonomic unit organization that can contribute or allow progression from bacterial colonization to invasive infection.

Beckham JD, Cadena A, Lin J, Piedra PA, Glezen WP, Greenberg SB, RL Atmar.  Respiratory viral infections in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  J Infection.  2005. 50:322-330.

Beckham JD, Tyler KL.  Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Complications.  Rev Neurol Dis.  2005. 2(3):158-163.

Beckham JD, Tyler KL.  Initial Management of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Adults: Summary of IDSA Guidelines.  Rev Neurol Dis. 2006. 3(2):57-60.

Tyler KL and Beckham JD.  Management of Acute Shingles.  Rev Neurol Dis. 2007. 4(4):203-208.

Beckham JD and Tyler KL.  Developments in the Field of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.  Rev Neurol Dis.  2007. 4(3):168-72.

Goody RJ, Beckham JD, Rubtsova K, Tyler KL.  JAK-STAT signaling pathways are activated in the brain following reovirus infection.  J. Neurovirol. 2007 Jul;13(4):373-383.

Beckham JD, Goody R, Clarke P, Bonny C, Tyler KL.  A novel strategy for the treatment of viral CNS infection utilizing a cell-permeable inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Journal of Virology. 2007. 81(13): 6984-92. 

Davis LE, Beckham JD, Tyler KL.  North American encephalitic arboviruses. Neurol Clin. 2008 26:727-57. 

Beckham JD, Tuttle K, Tyler KL. Reovirus activates TGF- and BMP signaling pathways in the CNS which contribute to neuronal survival following infection.  Journal of Virology. 2009 May; 83(10):5035-45.

Clarke P, Beckham JD, Goody R, Leser JS, Tyler KL.  Fas-mediated apoptotic signaling in the mouse brain following reovirus infection.  Journal of Virology. 2009 Jun; 83(12): 6161-70.

Beckham JD, Tuttle KD, Tyler KL. Caspase-3 activation is required for Reovirus-induced Encephalitis in vivo. Journal of Neurovirology. 2010 Aug; 16(4):306-17.

Dionne KR, Leser JS, Lerenzen KA, Beckham JD, Tyler KL. A brain slice culture model of viral enceaphlitis reveals an innate CNS cytokine response profile and the therapeutic potential of caspase inhibition. Exp Neurol. 2011 Apr; 228(2):222-31.

Beckham JD and Tyler KL. ‘Neuro-Intensive care of patients with CNS infections.’ Neurotherapeutics. 2011. (in press)

Book Chapters

J. David Beckham and Kenneth L. Tyler. ‘Clinical Manifestations of Neurological Disease’.  West Nile Encephalitis Virus Infection: viral pathogenesis and the host immune response.  Ed: Micheal Diamond. Springer Publishers. 2008.

J. David Beckham and Kenneth L. Tyler. ‘Viral Encephalitis’ Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th Ed. Elsevier Churchill Linvingstone. Philadelphia, 2009.

J. David Beckham, Marylou V. Solbrig, and Kenneth L. Tyler. ‘Infections of the Nervous System.’ Neurology in Clinical Practice. 6th Ed. Bradley, Daroff, Jankovic, Fenichel. Elsevier. 2012.

Ryan Oyer, J. David Beckham, Kenneth L. Tyler. “West Nile virus and St. Louis virus encephalitis”. Handbook of Neurology. Neuroviology. Ed. Tselis and Boos. 2012.