David Beckham, MD
Professor Adjoint, Medicine-Infectious Disease

Professor of Medicine, Infectious Diseases
Professor of Immunology andd Microbiology
Clinic 303-399-8020
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Gender: Male
Languages: English
Department, Section/Division: Medicine-Infectious Disease
Neurology

Practice Locations

Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Administration Medical Center
1700 Wheeling St
Aurora, CO 80045
303-399-8020
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UCHealth Infectious Disease Clinic - Anschutz Medical Campus
1635 Aurora Ct
7th Floor
Aurora, CO 80045
720-848-0191
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Hospital Affiliation
  • University of Colorado Hospital
  • Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Center Affiliations

Specialty Information

Specialties
  • Internal Medicine - Infectious Disease, Board Certification (2007,2016)
  • Internal Medicine, Board Certification (2004,2014)
Conditions & Treatments
  • Brain and Nervous System
  • Brain Abscess
  • Meningitis
  • Immune System
  • AIDS
  • AIDS / HIV Disease
  • Infections
  • Bacterial Infections
  • Fungal Infections
  • Influenza
  • Pneumonia
  • Viral Infections
Clinical Interest for Patients
My clinical interests include general infectious diseases, HIV care and infections of the nervous system. I also participate in a multidisciplinary program with the Department of Neurology in the field of Neurological Infections and Neuroinflammatory diseases.

Care Philosophy
I strive to provide individualized care for each patient that addresses the needs of the underlying disease or infection and also supports the patient and their unique life.

Public Speaking
Yes
Have provided lectures to the public on emerging infectious diseases such as Zika virus.

Education & Training

Medical Schools:
  • MD, Baylor College of Medicine (2001)

Undergraduate Schools:
  • BA, Baylor University (TX) (1997)

Internships:
  • Baylor College of Medicine Program (2002)

Residency Program:
  • Baylor College of Medicine Program, Internal Medicine (2004)

Fellowships:
  • University of Colorado, Infectious Disease (2007)

Recognition & Awards

  • VA Merit Award, VAMC (2020)
    VA Merit Scholar

Professional Memberships

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science, Member
  • American College of Physicians (ACP), Fellow
  • American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Member
  • American Society for Virology (ASV), Member
  • Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), Fellow

Teaching

  • Professor (2012)
    Graduate School, Immunology and Microbiology
    Virology and Viral Immunology
  • Professor of Medicine (2012)
    School of Medicine, Medicine
  • Professor (2012)
    School of Medicine, Neurology
    CNS infections

Research & Grants

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term="Beckham JD"[Author]
Grants
  • Determining the Mechanism of alpha-synuclein dependent innate immune responses in the brain (2022)
    NIH/NINDS, $380000
  • Development of a vaccination platform for emerging flavivirus infections. (2021)
    NIH/NIAID, $280000
  • Mechanism of Alpha-synuclein dependent restriction of viral infection (2020)
    VA Merit Award, $150000
Research interests for Patients:
Our laboratory investigates how viruses interact with the host immune system in the periphery and in the brain. We work to identify these mechanisms and design novel drug therapies or vaccines to treat or prevent viral infections in the nervous system. Our current work has also led us to investigate how inflammation may trigger events related to the development of Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.

Information for Referring Providers

Clinical Interests for Referring Providers
My clinical interests include general infectious diseases, HIV, and infections of the central nervous system. We have also developed a multidisciplinary clinical program with Neurology to provide specialized care for patients with neurological infections and inflammatory diseases of the nervous system.

Research Interest for Referring Providers
Our laboratory studies the basic interactions between RNA virus infections and host immune responses. Our current research in the laboratory studies viral RNA structures in a group of viruses called flaviviruses in an effort to develop attenuated vaccine candidates. In a second project in the lab, we study the innate immune responses that contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. We are defining the mechanisms by which alpha-synuclein, a protein that causes Parkinson's disease, is involved in innate immune responses in neurons. In a third set of experiments, we are studying the immune responses to SARS-CoV2 in neurons and the peripheral immune responses that may contribute to brain dysfunction seen in cases of COVID19.
CV JDBeckham CV.pdf