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Research Divisions
Director: Carl E. Cerniglia, Ph.D.
The Division of Microbiology at NCTR serves a multipurpose function with specialized
expertise to perform fundamental and applied research in microbiology. The Division of
Microbiology also responds to microbial surveillance and diagnostic needs for research
projects within NCTR and FDA. The Division of Microbiology has a multidisciplinary
staff including 14 research scientists and 17 research support staff, postdoctoral
fellows, undergraduate and graduate students, visiting scientists, and program support
specialists. The Microbiology Division has the staff and the facilities to help address
the scientific challenges encountered by FDA and other government organizations. Some
examples of the research projects within the Division and collaborative research with
scientists from other NCTR Divisions, FDA Centers, academic institutions, industry, and
other federal agencies are described below. Projects are based on FDA priorities and
programmatic expertise. The research program is divided into five focal areas:
1. Food safety, food biosecurity, and methods development
2. Antimicrobial resistance in foodborne and commensal bacteria
3. Intestinal microflora and host interactions
4. Environmental biotechnology
5. Microbiological surveillance and diagnostic support of research
Ongoing research projects in the Division of Microbiology
include:
- Elucidation of the mechanism of resistance development in
anaerobic bacteria from the human intestinal tract
- Proteomic approaches to elucidate biodegradative pathways
- Molecular epidemiology and characterization of multiple
antibiotic-resistance Salmonella isolated from
turkey production environment
- Development of proteomic
approaches to identify Staphylococcal aureus extracellular proteins responsible for
Staphylococcal pneumonia
- Genomic approaches to determine the role of
skin microflora in the metabolism of tattoo dyes
- Molecular characterization of Salmonella spp. and Vibrio spp. isolated
from seafood and development of microarray detection methods
- Evaluation of the mechanisms of inactivation and
degradation of third generation cephalosporins by the intestinal microflora
- Ceftiofur
degradation in gnotobiotic mice
- Microbial degradation of fluoroquinolone antimicrobial
agents
- Biotransformation of isoflavonoid phytoestrogens by
colonic microfloras of experimental animals
- Protective effect of vaginal lactobacillus species
against Staphylococcus aureus-mediated toxic shock syndrome
- Antimicrobial resistance genetics of emerging
Salmonella enterica serovar javiana phenotypes
involved in clinical and food-related outbreaks
- Assessment of effects and
metabolism of synthetic azo colorants used in womens cosmetics on human skin
microbiota
- Gene expression responses of
estrogen-primed vaginal epithelial cells after contact with Lactobacillus rhamnosus
GR-1, Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14, and the pathogenic fungus, Candida albicans
- The survival
of Bacillus anthracis in processed liquid eggs
The NCTR Research Plans and Accomplishments
Document contains information on the latest accomplishments and plans for the Division
of Microbiology as well as project and publication listings. |
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