Research Overview

We are interested in understanding how microbes evolve during chronic infections to resist therapeutic treatment and the immune system.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes life-long chronic infections in people with cystic fibrosis. We have shown that P. aeruginosa diversifies during these infections into genetically complex populations that can include antibiotic resistant and susceptible bacterial siblings. These mixed populations likely contribute to treatment failure.

We are using the latest genomic and imaging tools to better understand how mutant bacteria evolve during these infections with the goal of ultimately identifying novel targets and developing new treatments to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria.