Identification and Characterization of Clinically- and Environmentally-Derived Pathogens

  • By surveying clinical reports and collecting environmental isolates, we identify “low-level” pathogens with nosocomial infection capabilities. We use genomic and molecular biology approaches to classify these isolates and assess potential mechanisms of infection.

  • Caulobacter crescentus found as cause of infection in several immunocompromised patients.

    Caulobacter mirare was isolated from a peritoneal infection.

  • Mammilococus scuri and Mammilococcus lentus as a carriers of virulence and antimicrobial resistance

  • Bacillus pumilus as a causitive agent in food poisoning.

  • Priestia megatarium as a rare infectious agent.

In vivo Virulence in Galleria mellonella

Our lab cultivates the invertebrate model G. mellonella as an infection model for understanding the mechanisms of virulence by opportunistic pathogens derived from clinical and environmental settings.

Pressing Issues in Public Health

  • Our lab’s research in public health spans the breadth of student interests, focusing on the intersections of infectious disease and community-engaged research.

  • Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) are cornerstones in many communities, especially in minority and rural populations. By examining the public health response to COVID-19 by state governments and CBOs, we demonstrate the efficacy of uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and wraparound services in vulnerable populations.

  • Social determinants of health (SDOH) constitute all of the environmental factors that impact a person’s ability to receive the highest level of healthcare attainable. Factors including demographic information (race/ethnicity, age, sex/gender, etc.), geographic location, income, health insurance status, health literacy, and accessibility have all been linked to probable health outcomes. Ensuring these health outcomes are equitable amongst all populations has become the major focus of public health research and intervention. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are viral or bacterial infections that are contracted in a clinical setting as a result of receiving a primary form of care. With the increase in transmittable diseases and antimicrobial resistance, understanding how these infections occur and persist are of utmost importance as we ensure our hospitals and clinics are safe places to receive high quality of care.

  • Health literacy has the potential to decrease health inequities and, in children, health literacy learning has long-term health benefits. Therefore, curricula written to teach school-age children health literacy are of national importance and merit assessment to determine the quality of health literacy learning built into each curricula. This research serves as an assessment of US health literacy curricula intended for youth.