Steven R. Gill, Ph.D.

Our laboratory studies bacterial pathogens and diseases associated with the human microbiome. Active research areas in our laboratory include: 1) the study of human microbiome communities in neonates and infectious disease, and 2) pathogenesis and genomics of bacterial pathogens.

HUMAN MICROBIOME COMMUNITIES
Human life is dependent on a diverse community of symbiotic microbiota that have co-evolved with their human hosts to modulate crucial aspects of normal physiology, metabolism, immunity and neurologic function. We are engaged in multiple microbiome studies in areas of neonatal development, osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, early childhood caries, atopic dermatitis and the tumoral microbiome of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

PATHOGENESIS AND GENOMICS OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENS
Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridioides difficile are among the most successful of human pathogens, capable of causing invasive and deadly opportunistic infections. We are using in vivo, biochemical and genomic approaches to identify genetic pathways and mechanisms associated with S. aureus responses to host innate immunity and adaptation of the clonal complex 30 lineage to a persistent lifestyle in the host. In addition, we are using genomic and phylogenetic approaches to assess emergence and transmission of new S. aureus and C. difficile clinical isolates throughout hospitals, long-term care facilities and the general community in Monroe County NY.