Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in cattle We are excited that UGA Columns is featuring research conducted by one of our Graduate Students, Amy Siceloff and Adjunct Professor, Dr. Nikki Shariat. Click the link below to be taken to the original article, or continue reading. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in cattle June 30, 2021 by Leigh Beeson Read more about Antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in cattle
Karl F. Lechtreck Adjunct Associate Professor Research Research Interests: http://research.franklin.uga.edu/Lechtreck-Lab/research-0 Read more about Karl F. Lechtreck
Yeqi Li Postdoctoral Research Associate Yeqi joined the Lin lab in 2021 as a postdoctoral associate. He received a Ph.D degree from the Nanjing Normal University. His previous work mainly focuses on the drug resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus. Now his project involves in how the cryptococcus promotes host protective immune response. He is exploring which antigens presented in the cryptococcal cells and how to use these antigens or filamentous strains as vaccine candidates. With these works, he hopes to unravel the molecular mechanisms of antigens providing the protective effect. Research Labs (via personnel): Xiaorong Lin Labs: Lin Lab Selected Publications Selected Publications: 1. Li Y, Ambati S, Meagher BR, and Lin X. Developing mRNA lipid nanoparticle vaccine for cryptococcosis. NPJ Vaccines. 2025 Feb 04; 10(1):24. 2. Li Y, Pham T, Hipsher K, Lee C, Jiao J, Penninger MJ, Kronstad WJ, Fan Y, Zhao Y, Ambati S, Meagher BR, Xie X, and Lin X. Identification of a protective antigen reveals the trade-off between iron acquisition and antigen exposure in a global fungal pathogen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Feb 13; 122 (7) e2420898122. 3. Li Y, Chadwick B, Pham T, Xie X, Lin X. Aspartyl peptidase May1 induces host inflammatory response by altering cell wall composition in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. mBio 2024 May 14:e0092024. 4. Pham T#, Li Y#, Watford W, Lin X. Vaccination with a ZNF2oe strain provides long-lasting protection against cryptococcosis and is effective in immunocompromised hosts. Infect Immun 2023 Jul 18;91(7):e0019823.. 5. Li Y, Pham T, Xie X, Lin X. Identification and characterization of an intergenic “safe haven” region in human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii. J. Fungi 2022, 8, 178. Read more about Yeqi Li
Elliot Shelton Graduate Student Research Labs (via personnel): William B. Whitman Labs: Whitman Read more about Elliot Shelton
Characterization of Type 6 Secretion System (T6SS) genes in Extra-intestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) Characterization of Type 6 Secretion System (T6SS) genes in Extra-intestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) Tuesday, June 8 2021, 2pm Online via Zoom Special Information: Email mibcoord@uga.edu for more information. Type of Event: Student Seminars Aline de Oliveira Logue Laboratory UGA Dept of Microbiology Read more about Characterization of Type 6 Secretion System (T6SS) genes in Extra-intestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC)
New MGSA Officers Elected for 2021-2022 The Microbiology Department would like to congratulate the MGSA officers for 2021-2022. The newly elected officers will begin their term in July 2021. We are very excited to have this great group leading us through the next academic year. Please congratulate your new MGSA! President: Neely Wood Treasurer: Regan McCormick Recruitment Chairs: Amber Matha, Jared Smith Social Chair: Ashley Rogers Peer Mentoring Chairs: Rachel Dockman, Suki Putumbaka Communication & Outreach: Alyssa Baugh Read more about New MGSA Officers Elected for 2021-2022
Ronnie Fulton Receives NIH T32 Training Grant The Microbiology Department is pleased to announce that Ronnie Fulton of the Downs Lab is the recipient of a 2021-2022 NIH T32 Genetics Training Grant! For more information please click here. Read more about Ronnie Fulton Receives NIH T32 Training Grant
Andrew Wiggins Receives 2020-2021 Excellence in Teaching Award The Microbiology Department is excited to announce that Andrew Wiggins, Summers Lab, is a recipient of the 2020-2021 ETA Award! The Center for Teaching and Learning administers the Excellence in Teaching Award (ETA), sponsored by the Graduate School. This highly competitive award recognizes teaching assistants who contribute to teaching at UGA beyond their own assigned classroom responsibilities. The ETA is the top teaching award for graduate students at UGA. Congratulations Andrew! Read more about Andrew Wiggins Receives 2020-2021 Excellence in Teaching Award
CRISPR-Cas systems and their Interaction with Bacteriophage Thursday, April 22 2021, 11:10am Online via Zoom Special Information: Please contact Nancy Perkins at nancydh@uga.edu for Zoom link and passcode Type of Event: Department Seminars Dr. Andrew Varble Marraffini Laboratory The Rockefeller University Abstract: CRISPR loci are composed of short DNA repeats separated by sequences that match the genomes of phages and plasmids, known as spacers. Spacers are transcribed and processed to generate RNA guides used by CRISPR-associated nucleases to recognize and destroy the complementary nucleic acids of invaders. My postdoctoral work focused on 2 elements of this immune response: (1) Although, CRISPR-cas loci are widely distributed throughout microbial genomes and often display hallmarks of horizontal gene transfer, the drivers of CRISPR dissemination remain unclear. I show that spacers can recombine with phage target sequences to mediate a form of specialized transduction of CRISPR elements. (2) To counteract CRISPR defense, phages can produce small proteins that inhibit these nucleases. I demonstrate that the ΦAP1.1 temperate phage first expresses a canonical anti-CRISPR, to prevent Cas9 function, and then integrates into the direct repeats of the CRISPR locus to neutralize immunity during lysogeny. Building on these findings, I plan to characterize the interaction between CRISPR immunity and horizontal gene transfer, while also expanding this dynamic to determine wide-ranging mechanisms and barriers to horizontal gene transfer and how this impacts the pathogenicity of Staphylococcus and Streptococcus organisms. Read more about CRISPR-Cas systems and their Interaction with Bacteriophage
