“I decided to join the Microbiology & Immunology program at Wake Forest because of the faculty and resources of a major medical center. Faculty members support the students and make an effort to keep them on track to complete the program in a reasonable amount of time. Being at the medical school, the focus of the research is medically relevant, allowing for projects involving diseases and the human response. My previous experience at Wake Forest as an undergraduate was positive, and the same applies at the graduate level.”

Research Project

My project focuses on the interactions between surface polysaccharides of the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the human innate immune system. Microbial polysaccharides have important roles in biofilm formation and evasion of host immune responses. Two recently identified polysaccharides of P. aeruginosa – Psl and Pel – contribute to biofilm formation but their effects on the host immune system have not been studied. Our hypothesis is that these polysaccharides increase resistance to antimicrobial components produced by neutrophils and other innate immune cells, as well as increase virulence in both mouse and chinchilla models. P. aeruginosa is a major cause of respiratory infection in cystic fibrosis patients, so a greater understanding of potential virulence factors could result in better treatment and prevention of these life-threatening infections.