Members of the Moskowitz Laboratory
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Samuel Moskowitz, MD
Sam Moskowitz received his AB summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1986 and his MD magna cum laude in 1994 from Harvard Medical School. His primary research interests lie in the investigation of pediatric pulmonology, particularly in cystic fibrosis and lung infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Dr. Moskowitz has held academic and clinical positions at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Seattle Children's Hospital, and is currently affiliated with the MassGeneral Hospital for Children and Harvard Medical School. Click on his name above for more background information. |
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Alina Gutu Position Postdoctoral Fellow Education Ph.D. in Biology, Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania Interests Regulatory mechanism involved in Pseudomonas antibiotic resistance and virulence My project in the Moskowitz lab deals with characterization of known and novel TCS and other signaling mechanisms involved in Pseudomonas antibiotic resistance and virulence. Besides genetical and biochemical approaches I also use the zebrafish model to further study these signaling pathways in the complex context of host-pathogen interactions. |
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Sun Ho (Sunny) Kim Position Research Technologist Education M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; B.Eng. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea Interests Pseudomonas biofilm formation, pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships, and antibiotic resistance My research is focused on developing an in vitro PK-PD (pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic) model of P. aeruginosa biofilm formation in the CF lung using a flow cell device. This system will be used to simulate drug-pathogen interactions that occur when antibiotics are used to treat biofilm infections in vivo and mimic the appearance and disappearance of these drugs in the systemic circulation. With this system we hope to define novel regimens that maximize bacterial killing and minimize antibiotic resistance in CF patients. |
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Talia Ramsdell Position Research Assistant Education Ph.D. in Microbiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Interests Bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistance My work in the Moskowitz lab focuses on characterizing novel genetic and biochemical mechanisms of Pseudomonas antibiotic resistance, and possible linkages to virulence. |
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Nicole Sgambati Position Research Technician Education B.A. in biology, State Univeristy of New York, Oswego Interests Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationships, antibiotic resistance, biofilms My research focuses on the use of a flow cell device to grow Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms as a model of airway infection. By growing various mutant strains in this system and exposing them to antibiotics, we aim to identify patterns of killing and resistance that may have pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic implications. Through such experiments we hope to improve upon the treatments that are currently available for cystic fibrosis lung infections. |
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Rebecka Nilsson Position Visiting Student Education Uppsala University School of Medicine, Sweden Interests Characterization of novel loci involved in Pseudomonas polymyxin resistance The Moskowitz lab identified various genes of interest based on previous Tn mutagenesis and deep sequencing that could be involved in polymyxin resistance. My role will be to confirm their involvement in the polymyxin resistance and stability mechanisms. To accomplish this I will be using a variety of susceptibility methods on specially constructed strains carrying mutations in these genes. |
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Samuel Kitara Position Visiting Student Education The College of Wooster, Ohio Interests Characterization of novel loci involved in Pseudomonas polymyxin resistance My project relates with Rebecka’s project in the fact that I will also be looking at polymyxin resistance and stability patterns for these novel identified loci. |
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| Past Lab Members | ||
| Danilo Xavier (MGH, 2011-2012) | ||
| Nandini Dasgupta (MGH, 2010-2012) | ||
| Heidi Burke (Univ. of Washington / MGH, 2008-2011) | ||
| Mark Brannon (Univ. of Washington, 2004-2009) | ||
| Amanda Weeks (Univ. of Washington, 2006-2008) | ||
| Pnina Strasbourger (Univ. of Washington, 2005-2008) | ||
| Miyuki Pier (Univ. of Washington, 2003-2007) | ||
| Laurel Stevens (Univ. of Washington, 2003-2005) | ||
| Lillian Yeung (Univ. of Washington, 2003-2004) | ||
| Maxine Smith (Univ. of Washington, 2001-2009), fiscal manager | ||
| Click here for pictures of us at play | ||