LARAINE
POWERS, Ph.D.
RESEARCH
INTERESTS
In our laboratory, we study the virulence and antibiotic resistance genes
of commensual bacteria that have increasingly become the cause of nosocomial
or hospital acquired infections. Currently, our research is focused on
Enterococcus faecalis. These organisms are part of the normal humanintestinal
flora and usually do not cause any problems. But under certainconditions
they may grow in sites other than the intestine and cause life-threatening
diseases such as bacteremia and endocarditis. The virulence of these organisms
is subtle and not well understood. It is not clear what specific gene products
serve as virulence determinants, enabling the endogenous bacteria to overgrow
in the intestine or exogenous strains colonize extra-intestinal sites.Also,
both bacteria are intrinsically resistant to a number of antibioticsand have
recently acquired additional antibiotic resistance genes. Further, little
is known about how these virulence and antibiotic resistancegenes are spread
among strains and among other species of bacteria viaplasmids, bacteriophage
or transposons.
Our research groupis currently
composed of graduate and undergraduate students working ona several interrelated
projects. We use classical, as well as, cuttingedge molecular techniques
in our research. Our group values teamwork, excellence,scholarship, discipline,
intellectual curiosity and growth. Also,we place a high priority on
providing dedicated undergraduate studentswith “hands on” research
experience in our laboratory. Finally, our groupstrongly supports the
ETSUMicrobiology Club, founded by Dr. Obiso in the Fall of 1998. The
purposeof this club is to promote microbiology and to help students prepare
fora career in the field.
RESEARCH COLLABORATOR:
Richard J. Obiso,
Jr., Ph.D.
of DIGEN, Inc.
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