Gayatri Vedantam

Professor, Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences

Co-Director, Collaboratory for Anti-infectives & Therapeutics

Professor, Immunobiology

Professor, BIO5 Institute

Associate Director, Research

Member of the General Faculty

Member of the Graduate Faculty

Primary Department

Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences

Department Affiliations

Animal & Comparative Biomedical Sciences

BIO5 Institute

Contact

(520) 626-6839

gayatri@arizona.edu

Work Summary

Our research efforts focus on bacteria that cause serious healthcare-associated infections, and those associated with antibiotic use. This infections disproportiOur federally-funded research focuses on infection prevention. Specifically, we study diseases such as Clostridium difficile Infection that affect populations worldwide ("One-Health" issue). Our current efforts are aimed at translating bench-research findings to the bedside. We have recently been awarded two patents for a novel biologic agent invention aimed at preventing bacterial infections in humans as well as food animals.onately affect the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. One overarching goal of our studies is to develop safe, cost-effective, non-antibiotic interventions to prevent and treat bacterial diarrheas.

Research Interest

Dr. Vedantam’s research interests are broadly focused on pathogenic mechanisms leading to antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and include host-pathogen studies of the diarrheagenic agent Clostridium difficile. C. difficile infection is currently a leading healthcare-acquired disease in the USA, incurring over $3 billion in treatment and containment costs. Dr. Vedantam’s laboratory uses multiple genomic and proteomic approaches to study C. difficile pathogenesis, including, but not limited to, automated iTRAQ-based comparative proteomics, and genomic analyses. Her laboratory also offers hospital surveillance and typing services, and a genetic manipulation program for clostridial pathogens. These efforts have identified attractive targets for interventions aimed at eliminating C. difficile from the gut, and are a focus of translational research goals. Dr. Vedantam is also involved in multiple teaching efforts, and offers a highly popular, upper-division, laboratory-based course on bacterial pathogens. The strengths she brings to any research endeavor are based on her expertise in genetic, mechanistic and animal model studies. Keywords: Infectious Disease, healthcare-associated infections, bacterial pathogenesis

Gayatri Vedantam