GCSP research stipend | Fall 2018

Modification of Quorum Sensing Regulatory Systems in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that commonly causes chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. People with CF acquire P. aeruginosa from their environment, and to adapt to the lung, P. aeruginosa undergoes genetic changes – particularly in quorum sensing (QS) systems – throughout this pathogenesis. This project focuses on identifying and manipulating these QS-communication mechanisms within bacterial populations to help determine if these mutations are accumulated over time and which combinations are actively regulating QS-mediated pathways. This knowledge will aid us in developing potential prognostic biomarkers to create new diagnostic tools less invasive than current procedures.