The Biomedical Research Building

Research in bacteriology is focused in a number of areas. Vaccine development against M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae is the primary goal of the Murphy laboratory.  The Campagnari laboratory is currently studying Haemophilus ducreyi and Moraxella catarrhalis. H. ducreyi causes the sexually transmitted disease chancroid, which has been implicated as a cofactor in HIV transmission. M. catarrhalis is a human respiratory pathogen that is a major cause of otitis media in young children. In collaboration with the Russo laboratory, a combination of monoclonal antibody technology and molecular biology has identified an outer membrane protein with attractive vaccine characteristics. The primary focus of the Russo laboratory is the identification and characterization of novel genes expressed by extra intestinal isolates of Escherichia coli, in vivo. Using transposon mutagenesis in an ex vivo environment new genes have been identified which appear to be important in pathogenesis. A primary focus of the Connell lab is to investigate the molecular mechanisms of iron acquisition by the upper respiratory pathogens of the genus Bordetella that influence virulence. Regulation of heme biosynthesis during symbiosis of soybean by Bradyrhizobium japonicum is the main focus of the O'Brian lab. Anders Hakansson has recently joined the Center. Work in the Hakansson laboratory is focused on examination of the interaction of streptococcus pneumoniae with host cells in the respiratory tract.