Robert Owen, MD

Professor Emeritus

Career Narrative
My clinical work includes gastroenterology, general internal medicine, intestinal infectious diseases, HIV infection and AIDS, travel medicine and medical effects of military occupational environmental exposures, especially in Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Vietnam (Agent Orange) and Ionizing Radiation exposed veterans. I am also a Compensation & Pension examiner for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Research Interests:
My work has involved delineation of the structure and function of Peyer's patches and other mucosal
lymphoid organs, using ultrastructure, immunohistology, morphometric analysis, and FACS analysis in
immunocompetent and immunodeficient animal models. Clinical research interests include diarrhea and
intestinal infections, identifying the role of opportunistic pathogens including Giardia, Cryptosporidia,
Microsporidia and Mycobacterium avium.
Education
2018 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Residency, - Gastroenterology, University of California, San Francisco
Publications

  1. Rusheen AE, Goyal A, Owen RL, Berning EM, Bothun DT, Giblon RE, Blaha CD, Welker KM, Huston J, Bennet KE, Oh Y, Fagan AJ, Lee KH. The development of ultra-high field MRI guidance technology for neuronavigation. Journal of neurosurgery 2022. PMID: 35334465


  2. Owen RL, Grewal SS, Thompson JM, Hassan A, Lee KH, Klassen BT. Effectiveness of Thalamic Ventralis Oralis Anterior and Posterior Nuclei Deep Brain Stimulation for Posttraumatic Dystonia. Mayo Clinic proceedings. Innovations, quality & outcomes 2022. PMID: 35243206


  3. Jundt MC, Owen RL, Thompson SM, Fleming CJ, Stockland AH, Andrews JC. MELD-Na?>?16 is associated with high peri-procedural and short-term mortality in patients with ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma treated with emergent transarterial embolization. Abdominal radiology (New York) 2021. PMID: 34633495


  4. Barath AS, Rusheen AE, Rojas Cabrera JM, Price JB, Owen RL, Shin H, Jang DP, Blaha CD, Lee KH, Oh Y. Hypoxia-Associated Changes in Striatal Tonic Dopamine Release: Real-Time in vivo Measurements With a Novel Voltammetry Technique. Frontiers in neuroscience 2020. PMID: 32973432


  5. Wang QP, Wu ZD, Wei J, Owen RL, Lun ZR. Human Angiostrongylus cantonensis: an update. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2011. PMID: 21725905


  6. Fujimura Y, Haruma K, Owen RL. Bombesin prevents the atrophy of Peyer's patches and the dysfunction of M cells in rabbits receiving long-term parenteral nutrition. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2007. PMID: 17308247


  7. Kageyama M, Nakatsuka K, Yamaguchi T, Owen RL, Shimada T. Ocular defense mechanisms with special reference to the demonstration and functional morphology of the conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue in Japanese monkeys. Archives of histology and cytology 2006. PMID: 17372387


  8. Schmucker DL, Owen RL, Outenreath R, Thoreux K. Basis for the age-related decline in intestinal mucosal immunity. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2003. PMID: 14768948


  9. Fujimura Y, Owen RL. Tacrolimus (FK506) and cyclosporine reduce the uptake and transport of particles into rabbit Peyer's patches. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2002. PMID: 11965030


  10. Schmucker DL, Thoreux K, Owen RL. Aging impairs intestinal immunity. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2001. PMID: 11470129


  11. Thoreux K, Owen RL, Schmucker DL. Intestinal lymphocyte number, migration and antibody secretion in young and old rats. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2000. PMID: 11012768


  12. Owen RL. Uptake and transport of intestinal macromolecules and microorganisms by M cells in Peyer's patches--a personal and historical perspective. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1999. PMID: 10381861


  13. Owen RL. New perspectives on the pathogenesis of Cryptosporidium biliary disease. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1998. PMID: 9755257


  14. Koch J, Owen RL. Small intestine pathogens in AIDS: conventional and opportunistic. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1998. PMID: 9730937


  15. Lüthen R, Owen RL, Sarbia M, Grendell JH, Niederau C. Premature trypsinogen activation during cerulein pancreatitis in rats occurs inside pancreatic acinar cells. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1998. PMID: 9667518


  16. Owen RL. M cells as portals of entry for HIV. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1998. PMID: 9693315


  17. Owen RL. Mid-life crisis for M cells. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1998. PMID: 9505877


  18. Schmidt W, Schneider T, Heise W, Schulzke JD, Weinke T, Ignatius R, Owen RL, Zeitz M, Riecken EO, Ullrich R. Mucosal abnormalities in microsporidiosis. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1997. PMID: 9365763


  19. Owen RL. Polymerase chain reaction of stool: a powerful tool for specific diagnosis and epidemiologic investigation of enteric microsporidia infections. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1997. PMID: 9143615


  20. Davis IC, Owen RL. The immunopathology of M cells. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1997. PMID: 9144863


  21. Schmucker DL, Heyworth MF, Owen RL, Daniels CK. Impact of aging on gastrointestinal mucosal immunity. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1996. PMID: 8654151


  22. Fujimura Y, Owen RL. M cells as portals of infection: clinical and pathophysiological aspects. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1996. PMID: 8805077


  23. Ichikawa S, Sreedharan SP, Owen RL, Goetzl EJ. Immunochemical localization of type I VIP receptor and NK-1-type substance P receptor in rat lung. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1995. PMID: 7537460


  24. Ichikawa S, Sreedharan SP, Goetzl EJ, Owen RL. Immunohistochemical localization of peptidergic nerve fibers and neuropeptide receptors in Peyer's patches of the cat ileum. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 7536334


  25. Weber R, Bryan RT, Schwartz DA, Owen RL. Human microsporidial infections. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 7834600


  26. Sandfort J, Hannemann A, Gelderblom H, Stark K, Owen RL, Ruf B. Enterocytozoon bieneusi infection in an immunocompetent patient who had acute diarrhea and who was not infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 7811871


  27. Owen RL. Microsporidia cause human disease: evidence by subtraction. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 7986419


  28. Owen RL. M cells--entryways of opportunity for enteropathogens. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 8006602


  29. Chui DW, Owen RL. AIDS and the gut. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 8054532


  30. Kato T, Owen RL. Absence of EGF receptors and of EGF uptake in Peyer's patch dome epithelium. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1994. PMID: 7709839


  31. Ohtsuka A, Piazza AJ, Ermak TH, Owen RL. Correlation of extracellular matrix components with the cytoarchitecture of mouse Peyer's patches. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1992. PMID: 1423508


  32. Weber R, Bryan RT, Owen RL, Wilcox CM, Gorelkin L, Visvesvara GS. Improved light-microscopical detection of microsporidia spores in stool and duodenal aspirates. The Enteric Opportunistic Infections Working Group. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1992. PMID: 1370122


  33. Bryan RT, Cali A, Owen RL, Spencer HC. Microsporidia: opportunistic pathogens in patients with AIDS. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1991. PMID: 1893116


  34. Owen RL, Piazza AJ, Ermak TH. Ultrastructural and cytoarchitectural features of lymphoreticular organs in the colon and rectum of adult BALB/c mice. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1991. PMID: 1984672


  35. Cali A, Owen RL. Intracellular development of Enterocytozoon, a unique microsporidian found in the intestine of AIDS patients. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1990. PMID: 2319490


  36. Walker RI, Owen RL. Intestinal barriers to bacteria and their toxins. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1990. PMID: 2184739


  37. Owen RL, Ermak TH. Structural specializations for antigen uptake and processing in the digestive tract. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1990. PMID: 2205936


  38. Ermak TH, Steger HJ, Strober S, Owen RL. M cells and granular mononuclear cells in Peyer's patch domes of mice depleted of their lymphocytes by total lymphoid irradiation. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1989. PMID: 2923183


  39. Pappo J, Owen RL. Absence of secretory component expression by epithelial cells overlying rabbit gut-associated lymphoid tissue. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1988. PMID: 2458985


  40. Ermak TH, Steger HJ, Owen RL, Strober S. Depletion and repopulation of lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of mice after total lymphoid irradiation. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1988. PMID: 2903270


  41. Pappo J, Steger HJ, Owen RL. Differential adherence of epithelium overlying gut-associated lymphoid tissue. An ultrastructural study. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1988. PMID: 3379916


  42. Ermak TH, Steger HJ, Owen RL, Heyworth MF. Modulation of lymphocyte subsets in Peyer's patches of mice treated with monoclonal antibody against helper T-cells. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1988. PMID: 2964470


  43. Owen RL, Cray WC, Ermak TH, Pierce NF. Bacterial characteristics and follicle surface structure: their roles in Peyer's patch uptake and transport of Vibrio cholerae. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1988. PMID: 3254071


  44. Ermak TH, Owen RL. Phenotype and distribution of T lymphocytes in Peyer's patches of athymic mice. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1987. PMID: 3319975


  45. Owen RL, Jones AL. Epithelial cell specialization within human Peyer's patches: an ultrastructural study of intestinal lymphoid follicles. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1974. PMID: 4810912


  46. Owen RL, Hill JL. Rectal and pharyngeal gonorrhea in homosexual men. "HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 1972. PMID: 4623385