Yoder-Himes Lab Projects
Take a deeeeeeep breath. Then exhale.
Have you ever wondered why your lungs are not infected by the bacteria you breathe in every day?
The Yoder-Himes lab focuses on the bacteria that are naturally found in the soils and sediments around the globe that cause opportunistic respiratory infections in humans. Specifically, we study four bacteria pathogens: the Burkholderia cepacia complex, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. We are interested in how these organisms cause infections in intensive care patients, immunocompromised patients, and those people with cystic fibrosis (the most common lethal genetic disorder in Caucasian populations). These organisms all form biofilms, which are complex mats of interconnected cells that make treatment in humans difficult.
We are currently identifying and characterizing the virulence factors employed by these groups by using genetic tools and model systems of infection such as in vitro growth, cultured mammalian cells, and in animal models like mice and fruit flies, especially for Burkholderia and Stenotrophomonas, which are relatively understudied. We also employ the latest in next-generation sequencing, microscopy techniques, and systems biology techniques to obtain a global view of the organisms and their communities. Our aim is to understand how these organisms cause disease which will then allow us to develop therapeutics for their treatment. We are also interested in how these organisms evolved to become human pathogens and whether the virulence factors actually evolved for other purposes in their native environments.