Johne's Disease Acid Fast v. FISH Images

Medical Microbiology

Current Projects:

Cystic Fibrosis~ Kirk Harris uses sequencing to analyze bacterial community composition in lung sputum and bronchial lavages of CF patients. This is useful because frequently the exacerbation-causing organisms are not brought into culture in the hospital lab. Potentially, this work could be used to drive treatment of CF patients based on the bacterial pathogens identified through sequencing.

Johnes's Disease~ An ongoing study of the microbial community composition in the intestines of Crohn's Disease cattle. This is a gastro-intestinal disease that may be caused by bacteria and is becoming more prevalent. Previous studies in the lab have studied inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and chrone's disease in humans.

MRSA~ Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) represents an increasing risk especially in hospital nosocomial infections.

Atopic Dermatitis~ increasingly common skin condition in children, causes inflammation, lesions, and itchiness. Often associated with microbial infection.

Prostatitis~ inflamation of the prostate affects 50% of all men at some point in their life. Prostatitis maybe bacterial or non-bacterial by hospital culture results.

Selected Past Projects and Publications

Harris JK, De Groote MA, Sagel SD, Zemanick ET, Kapsner R, Penvari C, Kaess H, Deterding RR, Accurso FJ, Pace NR. (2007) Molecular identification of bacteria in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from children with cystic fibrosis.Proc Natl Acad Sci 104(51):20529-33.

Frank DN, St Amand AL, Feldman RA, Boedeker EC, Harpaz N, Pace NR. (2007) Molecular-phylogenetic characterization of microbial community imbalances in human inflammatory bowel diseases. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 104(34):13780-5

St Amand AL, Frank DN, De Groote MA, Basaraba RJ, Orme IM, Pace NR. (2005) Use of specific rRNA oligonucleotide probes for microscopic detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in culture and tissue specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 2005 Oct;43(10):5369-71.

Gardner EM, Burman WJ, DeGroote MA, Hildred G, Pace NR. (2005) Conventional and molecular epidemiology of macrolide resistance among new Mycobacterium avium complex isolates recovered from HIV-infected patients. Clin Infect Dis. 41(7):1041-4.

St Amand AL, Frank DN, De Groote MA, Pace NR.(2005) Use of specific rRNA oligonucleotide probes for microscopic detection of Mycobacterium avium complex organisms in tissue. J Clin Microbiol. 43(4):1505-14

Angenent LT, Kelley ST, St Amand A, Pace NR, Hernandez MT. (2005) Molecular identification of potential pathogens in water and air of a hospital therapy pool. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 102(13):4860-5.

De Groote MA, Frank DN, Dowell E, Glode MP, Pace NR. (2005) Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG bacteremia associated with probiotic use in a child with short gut syndrome. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 24(3):278-80.

University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Crohn's and Colitis Foundation