Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Microbiology

• Pathobiology
• Infectious Diseases
• David A. Hunstad Research Lab

Dr. Hunstad evaluates pediatric patients with a variety of infectious diseases at St. Louis Children's Hospital. In his research laboratory in the McDonnell Pediatric Research Building, he studies the interactions of Gram-negative bacteria with their hosts. He is particularly interested in mechanisms by which Gram-negative pathogens interfere with host immune responses in order to establish infection. Related projects in the laboratory are aimed at determining how bacteria assemble virulence factors on their surfaces. In particular, the lab studies the function of certain bacterial chaperone proteins. His goal is to develop new agents that will be useful in the prevention and treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections of the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system.

Education

• B.A., Carleton College, 1991
• M.D., Washington University School of Medicine, 1995

Training

• Resident in Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 1995-98
• Chief Resident, St. Louis Children's Hospital, 1998-99
• Clinical Instructor in Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 1999-2000
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Pediatric Infectious Disease, Washington University School of Medicine, 2000-2003

Licensure and Board Certification

• Missouri, 1997
• American Board of Pediatrics, 1999
• American Board of Pediatrics, Sub-board of Infectious Diseases, 2003

Honors

• USA Today All-USA Academic Team, 1990-1991
• Virgil Loeb, M.D., Distinguished Alumni Scholarship, Washington University, 1991-1995
• Finalist, American College of Physicians Award for Excellence in Physical Diagnosis, 1994
• Fellow, Pediatric Scientist Development Program, 2001-2004
• NIH Pediatric Research Loan Repayment Program Award, 2002-2006

Selected Publications

1. Hunstad DA, Justice SS, Hung CS, Lauer SR, Hultgren SJ: Suppression of bladder epithelial cytokine responses by uropathogenic Escherichia coli Infect Immun 2005; 73: 3999-4006 [ pubmed ]

2. Justice SS, Hunstad DA, Harper JR, Duguay AR, Pinkner JS, Bann J, Frieden C, Silhavy TJ, Hultgren SJ: Periplasmic peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerases are not essential for viability, but SurA is required for pilus biogenesis in Escherichia coli J Bacteriol 2005; 187: 7680-7686 [ pubmed ]

3. Justice SS, Lauer SR, Hultgren SJ, Hunstad DA: Maturation of intracellular E. coli communities requires SurA Infect Immun 2006; 74: 4793-4800 [ pubmed ]

4. Justice SS, Hunstad DA, Seed PC, Hultgren SJ: Filamentation by E. coli subverts innate defenses during urinary tract infection Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2006; 103: 19884-19889 [ pubmed ]