Alan J. Wolfe

Alan J. Wolfe, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Loyola University Chicago. His research focuses on Bacterial Protein Acetylation and the Urinary Microbiome, particularly in women's health contexts such as urinary tract infections (UTI), urinary incontinence, and overactive bladder.

• Loyola Urinary Education and Research Collaborative (LUEREC): Co-directed by Dr. Wolfe, this multidisciplinary team established the presence of the female urinary microbiome (FUM), overturning the long-held belief that urine is sterile.

Research Interests
Dr. Wolfe's lab investigates two primary areas:

• Bacterial Protein Acetylation: Explores both enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms (via acetyl phosphate) of protein acetylation in bacteria, drawing parallels to eukaryotic processes.
• Female Urinary Microbiome: Analyzes FUM's composition in healthy and symptomatic women, linking it to clinical outcomes like UTI risk and treatment response.

Scientific Contributions
His publications (15 most recent) span journals like mSystems, Nature Reviews Urology, and Cell Host & Microbe, emphasizing microbiome analysis, bacterial physiology, and clinical translational research.