Members
Peter Jorth, PhD | PI
Dr. Jorth grew up in Kalamazoo, MI and completed his B.A. in Biology at Kalamazoo College. He worked as a Research Associate studying Francisella tularensis at Boston University School of Medicine for one year in Dr. Lee M. Wetzler's laboratory. He received his Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Texas at Austin, where he researched the microbial roots of periodontal disease with Dr. Marvin Whiteley. After his Ph.D. he completed two postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Washington with Dr. Pradeep K. Singh, and at Caltech with Dr. Dianne K. Newman studying bacterial lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis. In his free time, Dr. Jorth enjoys running, playing beach volleyball, and surfing.
Mylene Vaillancourt, MS | Lab Manager
Mylene Vaillancourt earned a veterinary technician degree in 2005, as well as a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology (2014) and master's degree in translational medicine (2016) from Laval University in Quebec, Canada. During her career, she specialized in lung diseases and, in 2018, joined the Jorth Laboratory as lab manager. Mylene works on the mechanisms of hypervirulence in antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis.
Anna Clara Milesi Galdino, PhD | Postdoc
Originally from Brazil, Anna Clara Milesi Galdino, PhD, completed her master and doctorate in biochemistry at Chemistry institute at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. During her doctorate she studied antibiotic and anti-virulence metal-based compounds against multidrug resistant organisms, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Also, she employed metabolomics techniques to define the pharmacological effects of metal-based compounds on bacteria to propose the mechanism of action of these drugs. In 2020, Anna joined the Jorth Lab at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where she is investigating the resistance mechanism of cefiderocol, the first siderophore cephalosporin approved for clinical usage. My research interests center around understanding how diverse bacterial populations evolve antimicrobial resistance during cystic fibrosis lung infections. Outside of the lab, Anna loves enjoying LA sunny days, cycling, tending my houseplants and spending time with family and friends.
Sheryl Fernandes, PhD | Postdoc
Sheryl completed her Ph.D. at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore where she worked on aging and how it alters the host response to bacterial infection. She joined the Jorth lab in 2021 to explore the dynamics between drug resistance and virulence in bacterial pathogens that cause chronic infections in cystic fibrosis patients. If you cannot find her in lab, she is probably exploring a hiking trail in California, solving puzzles, or enjoying a book by the beach.
Diana Celedonio, BS | Research associate
Diana completed her B.S. in Biology at the University of San Francisco where she also minored in Health Studies. At Cedars-Sinai, she studies antibiotic resistance in cystic fibrosis and machine learning models. During her free time, Diana enjoys spending time with her family, reading fictional novels, and exploring new hike trails.