Current research in the our laboratory focuses upon the elucidation of factors contributing to the virulence of multidrug-resistant ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter species) pathogens, with special attention given to Acinetobacter baumannii, drug discovery, and antimicrobial stewardship all to ease the burden of these infections on patients and healthcare systems. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have categorized Acinetobacter as a serious threat requiring more monitoring and prevention activities due to the occurrence of multidrug-resistant isolates. According to the CDC, Acinetobacter causes 12,000 infections per year with 7,300 of those infections caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter and 500 of those cases resulting in mortality in the United States alone. 

Unfortunately, the majority of research pertaining to A. baumannii has focused on antibiotic resistance properties while failing to explain the basic pathobiology or underlying virulence mechanisms of this bacterium. This sparsity of data has made drug discovery somewhat difficult due to the lack of candidate therapeutic targets. Our research aims to better explain the pathobiology of A. baumannii thus uncovering targets for therapeutics. We are particularly interested in the mechanisms by which A. baumannii is cytotoxic to eukaryotic cells, acquires iron under chelated conditions such as that found in the human host, secretes virulence factors and responds to environmental stressors. Our research has even contradicted the traditional characterization of A. baumannii as non-hemolytic. In fact, the hemolytic phenotype of A. baumannii is paramount to A. baumannii virulence.

Our laboratory additionally studies novel therapeutics for the treatment of ESKAPE pathogens often in collaboration with Furman University and Clemson University. Affiliations with Prisma Health, Lee Health, Florida State University College of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offer us numerous opportunities externally to collaborate on clinically relevant research. Many of these collaborations have resulted in publications which can be browsed in our "Publications" section of this website.