[ChBE-Grad] Special ChBE Seminar at 10am

[Solano, Nicolette]

  ***** Special Seminar *****



William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Presents



What Do We Know About Bacterial Persisters?



Tuesday April 19, 10:00am

Science Building, Room 105

Or virtually at https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://uh-edu-cougarnet.zoom.us/j/94690883059__;!!LkSTlj0I!DTdyILhJCmrggq1zgzwi8dJyF3t3udfunKuSQ1PvLlyrLBCSI3seYDi-W7znbDKtqtFjPIm57L1e2gdEQgBgCowhNVk$ <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/uh-edu-cougarnet.zoom.us/j/94690883059__;!!LkSTlj0I!Hu4C-8zSTt7claaVg7zzELLTRsUsPna1vXt4PTtlMiJG3xZf0uCfOGsH8yjZUO4n-Ff8LjOTsRFV3x5KgMVvxMSdvYU$>





Mehmet Orman, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

University of Houston



Abstract:
Our bodies have trillions of more microbial cells than human cells. Although most of these microorganisms are symbiotic and harmless, and play crucial roles in our health, some of them are pathogenic and can survive asymptomatically for a long time without growing. Due to their transient non-growing state, these pathogens can regain the ability to initiate cell growth (a phenotypic switch that is poorly understood) and establish cell populations that can cause diseases. My research group aims to characterize the microbial phenotypes that exist in a transient, growth-inhibited state. These cells, which are also called persisters, can survive high concentrations of antibiotics due to their growth-inhibited state. Antibiotic failure is a growing concern worldwide, and persister cells significantly contribute to this problem, as they can promote the emergence of antibiotic-resistant mutants and facilitate the recurrence of microbial infections. A deeper understanding of the molecular make-up of persister cells will facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Therefore, a major goal of my research is to study their physiology: the metabolite, RNA, and protein content that allow them to tolerate extraordinary concentrations of drugs.



Bio:

Dr. Orman has obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and completed his post-doctoral studies at Princeton University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is currently an assistant professor at the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department at the University of Houston. Dr. Orman has made significant contributions to the field of bacterial persisters that present a treatment challenge. He received the prestigious NIAID Career Transition Award (K22) and an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health, an impressive accomplishment for a junior faculty member. Dr. Orman is also the recipient of NSF CAREER Award; he has proposed a compelling early career plan that integrates research and educational components that are well aligned with university initiatives.


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