Research projects involve basis studies of bacterial respiratory tract pathogens nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.  The emphasis of the work is on characterizing the outer membrane proteins of these bacteria as potential vaccine antigens.  To this end, the antigenic structure of selected outer membrane proteins is being studied; and the human immune response to these proteins is being characterized.  These bacteria are common causes of otitis media in children and lower respiratory tract infections in adults with chronic lung disease.  

In addition to studies on selected outer membrane proteins, a longitudinal study of bacterial infection in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is being conducted continuously since 1993.  Bacteria recovered from the respiratory tract of these adults are being subjected to molecular typing, and the dynamics of colonization of the respiratory tract is being characterized.  In addition, the role of bacteria in airway inflammation and the human immune response to bacterial pathogens is being characterized.