Category: Science

A novel approach to fight a drug resistant fungal pathogen

The initial discovery We are investigating the potential of protein toxins naturally produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewer’s/Baker’s yeast) to inhibit the growth of the human pathogen Candida glabrata. These toxin producers are known as killer yeasts to those who study them. We have tested over 15,0000 interactions between our killer yeasts and 130 isolates of …

Microbial Viability Within Hydrogel Matrices

By improving current bioremediation techniques for the removal of trichloroethylene from groundwater we can improve efficiency, improve safety, and treat spills closer to the source.

Evaluating β-Catenin as a Potential Regulator of Tenogenic Stem Cell Differentiation

Tendons are collagen-rich musculoskeletal tissues that function to anchor muscle to bone, and transfer mechanical force between the two. Unfortunately, tendon injuries are common and tendons have poor self-healing capacity, resulting in long-term dysfunction. There are few treatment options, motivating the need for engineered tendon replacements and regenerative therapies using stem cells. However, there is …

When to vaccinate a fluctuating wildlife population: is timing everything?

Investigating whether or not timing a vaccination program can help protect wildlife and potentially facilitate pathogen elimination.

Phage Engineering to Understand Virus Host Range

Viruses are the most common entities on Earth, outnumbering bacteria by around an order of magnitude, and animals/plants by another order of magnitude. Viruses are also the least well understood group in terms of diversity, function, and evolution. The goal of my project is to explore how viruses can exploit new hosts. Extrapolating what we …