Blythe Janowiak

Blythe Janowiak is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Saint Louis University's College of Arts and Sciences. She leads the Janowiak Lab, focusing on microbial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial virulence mechanisms. Her research explores glutathione metabolism in Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) and its role in host-pathogen interactions. The lab also investigates novel antibiotics against ESKAPE pathogens and the role of antioxidants in maintaining vaginal microbiome health.

Education: Ph.D. in Biology from the Medical College of Wisconsin. Research facilities are based in Macelwane Hall (rooms 215 & 221). The lab actively engages undergraduate and graduate students in projects involving biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular techniques. Recent studies include glutathione's contribution to GBS virulence in sepsis models and the development of antimicrobial scaffolds infused with Manuka honey.

Key research themes include understanding GBS's transition from commensal to pathogen, antibiotic discovery from environmental samples, and structural analysis of anthrax toxins. The lab's work integrates transcriptomics, metabolomics, and CRISPR-Cas9 technologies to dissect bacterial survival strategies.