The Burgener lab, led by pediatric pulmonologist, Dr. Elizabeth Burgener, conducts translational research focused on better understanding and treating chronic airway infections. We house a respiratory biorepository where we bank both airway secretions and bacterial pathogens. This data is then utilized to answer hypothesis-driven questions. We are currently studying the effects of bacteriophage on antibiotic resistance and tolerance in chronic infection in the cystic fibrosis airway, as well as trying to understand the role of bacteriophage in the airway microbiome and how phage influence disease outcomes and antibiotic resistance.
We are a part of the tri-lab collaborative, INSPIRE (Innovative and Synergistic Pediatric Infection Research), along with the laboratories of Joy Gibson, MD, PhD, and Michael Neely, MD, MSc, FCP. Our groups meet weekly, collaborate on multiple projects, and support each other’s work.
Funding
- NIH K23/NHLBI - Bacteriophage as a predictive biomarker in chronic Pseudomonas airway disease. Pulmonary disease and recurrent exacerbations dominate the lives of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We are evaluating Pseudomonas aeruginosa antibiotic tolerance mediated by Pf bacteriophage, as well as the potential of Pf bacteriophage presence as a predictive biomarker for response to antibiotic therapy. This will lead to new mechanistic insights to guide therapy in treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated CF pulmonary disease.
- Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Research Grant – We seek to evaluate the role of bacteriophage as a contributor to antimicrobial resistance in cystic fibrosis through studying Pf bacteriophage transmission, identifying other Pseudomonal phages present in sputum and profiling the greater sputum phageome in relation to antimicrobial resistance in the bacterial hosts. This study will identify potential diagnostic markers of infection and identify novel targets for combatting antimicrobial resistance in individuals with CF.
Clinical Trials
Enrolling now: Respiratory Specimen Biorepository (IRB # 23-00293)
Seeking subjects with pulmonary disease with current focus on cystic fibrosis and those with tracheostomy tubes
Coming soon: 12-week, open label, cross-over study of inhaled tobramycin vs aztreonam in patients with cystic fibrosis, chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pf bacteriophage infection
We are always looking for motivated and energetic students (undergraduate, graduate, medical school), residents, or fellows. We can support applications for funding opportunities. See info on the Collaborate with Us page.
