Our research interests have focused on Staphylococcus aureus, a human commensal bacterium that colonizes up to 30% of the population. The bacterium is also a major human pathogen that is a leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, infectious heart disease, and bacteremia. These devastating diseases occur in healthcare settings and in the community. Increasing antibiotic resistance compounds the problem, and the lack of a broad and efficacious vaccine emphasizes the need for novel anti-infectives and therapies.

Our group uses the power of S. aureus genetics in combination with biochemistry and genomics to unravel biological questions at the intersection between bacterial physiology and pathogenesis in Gram-positive bacteria. Our group has focused on a variety of topics that are broadly grouped under the theme of nutritional regulation of pathogenesis. Currently, we are working to understand the role of the nutrient-sensing global transcriptional regulator CodY during infection. Please visit the following pages to learn more about our research.