The ASPIRE Path in Molecular Medicine

My research focuses on antibiotic treatment failure during staphylococcal infections. I aim to uncover mechanisms of antibiotic tolerance by testing the bacterial stringent response in biofilms and other infection-associated conditions. I will also use these conditions to probe a population of clinical S. aureus isolates in order to understand the phenotypic diversity of infectious agents. The second aim of my thesis work will examine heterogeneity of clinical isolates at the genomic level. Current genomic diagnostic methods rely on sequences from one to five colonies, though this may miss critical mutations in smaller subsets of the infectious population. I hope to develop a method to capture a more complete picture of the genetic diversity within an infectious isolate. This would allow clinical labs to track emerging resistant subpopulations and amend therapies, saving time and distress for patients.