Antibiotic-resistant bacteria like Salmonella cause millions of deaths worldwide. This research explores prohibitin 1, a mitochondrial protein, as an alternative defense. Mouse studies show that higher prohibitin 1 levels protect against bacterial infections, offering a potential non-antibiotic treatment to combat infections and reduce antibiotic resistance.

This research tackles antibiotic resistance by developing nano-scale microfluidic cultures that isolate and study previously unculturable bacteria. By screening rare microbes and directly testing their antimicrobial activity, the platform accelerates discovery of new antibiotics, offering a powerful tool against drug-resistant superbugs.

This research explores how bacteria choose between free-swimming and biofilm lifestyles. Studying Vibrio cholerae reveals that bacterial populations hedge their bets—some cells disperse while others remain protected. This collective decision-making helps bacteria survive threats and plays a key role in infection and transmission.

This research investigates how the body’s natural use of copper—through nutritional immunity—can be leveraged to combat antibiotic-resistant E. coli infections in urinary tract infections. By understanding bacterial susceptibility to copper, this work aims to identify novel, host-inspired strategies for treating UTIs.