Dr. Raul A. Almeida
Research Assistant Professor

Leader Mastitis Research and Diagnostic Group
Director Tennessee Quality Milk Laboratory

Education

PhD, Iowa State University, Veterinary Microbiology, 1991.
MS, Iowa State University, Veterinary Microbiology, 1989.
DVM, Universidad del Litoral, Argentina, Veterinary Medicine, 1977.

Selected Publications:

• Almeida, R. A., D. A. Luther, D. Patel, and S. P. Oliver. 2010. Predicted antigenic regions of Streptococcus uberis adhesion molecule (SUAM) are involved in adherence to and internalization into mammary epithelial cells. Vet. Microbiol. In press. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2010.09.017
• Chen, X., R. A. Almeida, D. A. Luther, O. Kerro Dego, and S.P. Oliver. 2010. Sua gene deletion mutagenesis in Streptococcus uberis using a thermosensitive plasmid. Vet. Microbiol. In press. doi:10.1016/j.vetmic.2010.07.006
• Almeida, R. A. J. R. Dunlap and S. P. Oliver. 2010. Binding of host factors influences internalization and intracellular trafficking of Streptococcus uberis in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Vet. Med. Int. vol. 2010, Article ID 319192, 8 pages, 2010. doi:10.4061/2010/319192
• Patel, D., R. A. Almeida, J. R. Dunlap, and S. P. Oliver. 2009. Bovine lactoferrin serves as a molecular bridge for internalization of Streptococcus uberis into bovine mammary epithelial cells. Vet Microbiol. 137, 297-301.
• Luther, D. A., R. A. Almeida and S. P. Oliver. 2008 Elucidation of the DNA sequence of Streptococcus uberis adhesion molecule gene (sua) and detection of sua in strains of Streptococcus uberis isolated from geographically diverse locations Vet. Microbiol.128: 304-12.
• Cesaris, L., B. E. Gillespie, V. Srinivasan, R. A. Almeida, A. Zecconi, and S. P. Oliver. 2007. Discriminating Between Strains of Escherichia coli Using Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis and BOX-PCR. Foodborne Pathog. Dis. 4:473-80.
• Almeida, R. A., D. Patel, G. M. Friton and S. P. Oliver. 2007. Intracellular killing of mastitis pathogens by penethamate hydriodide following internalization into mammary epithelial cells. J. Vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 30:151-156.
• Dogan, B., S. Klaessing, M. Rishniw, R. A. Almeida, S. P. Oliver, K. Simpson, and Y. H. Schukken. 2006. Adherent and invasive Escherichia coli are associated with persistent bovine mastitis.  Vet.  Microbiol. 116: 270-82.