Researcher Spotlight: Bashar Staitieh

What is your professional background?
My undergraduate degree is in English Literature from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. I went to medical school at the University of Kansas, completed an internal medicine residency and chief residency at Brown University, and completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at Emory and have been here ever since.

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor?
I work in Dr. David Guidot’s lab in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
My research is on alveolar macrophage function in HIV and chronic alcohol abuse. People with these conditions suffer from a variety of serious pulmonary problems, and mechanistic work on both is lacking. Until we figure out what’s happening, we won’t know how to treat them.

What do you like most about Emory?
Any time I get interested in a new topic, I can always find an expert on the subject somewhere on campus.

What is your favorite movie or TV show?
Movie: ‘Tarkovsky’s Stalker’ or Wong Kar Wai’s ‘In the Mood for Love.’ TV show: ‘The Wire.’

What do you like to do in your spare time?
Spare time? Ha. We’re currently homeschooling two kids.

What is a fun fact about you?
I was invited on the O’Reilly Factor twice in my wayward youth. I turned him down both times. No regrets.