Excellence in Research: Harnessing Microbial Signals for Biofilm Control
Logo to represent Biochemical Engineering
Biochemical Engineering

Biofilm Adhesive and Kinetic Properties Under Hydrodynamic Influences During Early Evolution Stages

Excellence in Research: Harnessing Microbial Signals for Biofilm Control
Logo to represent Environmental Engineering
Environmental Engineering

Contribution of Terrestrial Bacteria to Iodine Biogeochemical Cycling

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Logo to represent Environmental Microbiology
Environmental Microbiology

Small Molecule Inhibitors of the Phosphoenolpyruvate-Phosphotransferase System

Excellence in Research: Harnessing Microbial Signals for Biofilm Control
Logo to represent Microbiology & Immunology
Environmental Engineering

Harnessing Microbial Signals for Biofilm Control

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Our Research

Our long-term goal is to enhance current antimicrobial arsenal and further understanding of complex microbial communities. Our research program focuses on (i) the development and implementation of high- and low- throughput screening assays for the identification of novel small molecules with antimicrobial activity, (ii) the development and characterization of physiologically and industrially relevant multispecies in vitro biofilm models for the identification of potential drug targets, and (iii) the in vivo assessment of cytotoxicity and pharmacokinetics parameters and hypothesis-driven validation of antimicrobial drug targets for site colonization related to biofilm formation. This approach combines the benefits of physiologically and industrially relevant assays with a target validation approach superior to that typically encountered for either drug discovery screening or biofilm resistance studies.

Current work and collaborative research projects include (i) the investigation of the impact of biofilm structural features (i.e., porosity, diffusional distance, biomass, and biovolume) and physical fluid forces on the efficacy of known antimicrobial agents; (ii) the evaluation of potential antimicrobial challenge mechanisms as a strategy for in situ biofilm control; and (iii) the identification of novel chemical probes and microbial targets and development of novel drug delivery strategies in biofilm settings.

Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts

Waseem M, JQL Williams, A Thangavel, PC Still, P Ymele-Leki. A Structural Analog of Ralfuranones and Favipesins Promotes Biofilm Formation by Vibrio cholerae. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(4):e0215273.Stanley S, P Ymele-Leki. Introducing High School Students to Chemical Engineering Kinetics With a Simple Experiment-Based Smartphone Education Application. Chemical Engineering Education. 2017 Fall; 51(4): 189-197.Fennell Y, P Ymele-Leki, TA Adegboye, KL Jones. Impact of sulfidation of silver nanoparticles on established P. aeruginosa biofilms. J Biomaterials and Nanobiotechnology. 2017 Jan;8(1):83-95.Ymele-Leki P, L Houot, PI Watnick. Mannitol and the mannitol-specific enzyme IIB subunit activate Vibrio cholerae biofilm formation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2013 Aug;79(15):4675-83.Absalon C, P Ymele-Leki, PI Watnick. The bacterial biofilm matrix as a platform for antigen presentation and enzyme delivery. MBio. 2012 Jul 17;3(4):e00127-12.Py BF, SF Gonzalez, K Long, MS Kim, YA Kim, H Zhu, J Yao, N Degauque, R Villet, P Ymele-Leki, M Gadjeva, GB Pier, MC Carroll, J Yuan. Cochlin produced by follicular dendritic cells promotes antibacterial innate immunity. Immunity. 2013 May 23;38(5):1063-72.Acosta MA, P Ymele-Leki, Y Kostov, JB Leach (2009). Fluorescent microparticles for sensing cell microenvironment oxygen levels within 3D scaffolds. Biomaterials, 30(17):3068-74.George NPE, P Ymele-Leki, K Konstantopoulos, JM Ross (2009). Differential binding of biofilm-derived versus suspension grown Staphylococcus aureus to immobilized platelets in shear flow. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 199(5):633-40.Ymele-Leki P, JM Ross (2007). Erosion from Staphylococcus aureus biofilms grown under physiologically relevant fluid shear forces yields bacterial cells with reduced avidity to collagen. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73(6): 1834-184Mascari L, P Ymele-Leki, CD Eggleton, P Speziale, JM Ross (2003). Fluid shear contributions to bacteria cell detachment initiated by a monoclonal antibody. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 83(1): 65-74.