Warren, Cirle Alcantara
Primary Appointment
Research Professor of Medicine, Medicine: Infectious Diseases and International Health
Education
- BS, Zoology, University of the Philippines
- Clinical Fellowship, Infectious Diseases, Salem VA Medical Center
- MD, Medicine, University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial
- Research Fellowship, Infectious Disease and International Health, University of Virginia
- Residency, Internal Medicine, Hospital of Saint Raphael
Contact Information
PO Box 801379
MR-6, Room 2705
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Telephone: 434-924-9676
Fax: 434-924-0075
Email: ca6t@virginia.edu
Research Interests
Prevention and treatment of C. difficile infection. Role of microbiota in health and disease. Infections in special populations- elderly, pregnant women and racial/ethnic minority groups.
Research Description
Dr. Cirle Warren is interested in developing novel strategies in preventing and treating enteric infections, especially Clostridioides difficile infection. Her laboratory focuses on non-antimicrobial, host- and microbiota-targeted interventions to modulate immune responses to C. difficile and its toxins. She has shown that blocking inflammatory pathways- using cyclooxygenase II and angiotensin II inhibitors and adenosine analogues, may be beneficial in ameliorating toxin-induced intestinal tissue injury, inflammation and secretion. She is also investigating the mechanisms of the protective role of the dipeptide, alanyl-glutamine, in intestinal cell lines and animal models of anti-retroviral-, chemotherapy- and C. difficile intoxication - induced intestinal epithelial injury. She is now testing the benefit of supplementing standard treatment of C. difficile infection with alanyl-glutamine in human disease through the conduct of a randomized placebo controlled clinical trial that is funded by NIH/NIAID.
Dr. Warren’s laboratory established the use of the aged mouse model of C. difficile infection, discovering the critical influence of the aging host immunity and microbiota in the development of severe and recurrent disease in the elderly. Her laboratory is also pioneering studies delving into both intestinal (development of post-infection dysmotility) and extra-intestinal (functional and cognitive impairment) outcomes of C. difficile infection with aging. Given the important role of the microbiota in C. difficile infection, she is also involved in the Fecal Microbiota Program at UVA Health, focusing on the safety and outcomes of patients undergoing intestinal microbiota transplantation.
Dr. Warren also has strong interest in the impact of infections in special populations- CDI in the elderly and COVID-19 in pregnant women and racial/ethnic minority groups, investigating interventions that can potentially improve outcomes in these vulnerable population.