Antibiotics

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
Contact
(520) 626-6839

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

Sadhana Ravishankar

Associate Professor, Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences
Associate Professor, Applied BioSciences - GIDP
Member of the Graduate Faculty
Associate Professor, BIO5 Institute
Department Affiliations
Contact
(520) 626-1499

Research Interest

Sadhana Ravishankar, PhD, focuses on the stress response in foodborne pathogenic bacteria, including methods of pathogen control and natural antimicrobials. In the lab, Dr. Ravishankar attempts to control foodborne pathogenic bacteria including antibiotic resistant strains using various technologies and multiple hurdle approaches. Natural antimicrobials and their applications in various foods, antimicrobial and anti-oxidative activities of plant compounds also interest her. Bacterial attachment, biofilm formation and their control along with stress tolerance responses of foodborne pathogenic bacteria, and mechanisms of stress response in bacteria are some other subjects of research for Dr. Ravishankar’s lab.