Tatum Mortimer

Tatum Mortimer is an Assistant Professor at the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center (PDRC), focusing on bacterial pathogen adaptation and antimicrobial resistance. Their research integrates computational genomics with whole-genome sequencing to understand pathogen transmission dynamics and guide public health interventions.

Research interests include mechanisms of antibiotic resistance evolution in bacterial pathogens like Neisseria gonorrhoeae, leveraging genomic data to predict treatment outcomes and combat diagnostic evasion. The lab also explores avian pathogen genomics, such as Castellaniella ginsengisoli’s role in avian mortality events.

Publications emphasize Neisseria gonorrhoeae’s resistance mechanisms, including tetM gene expansion, gyrA-based diagnostic escape, and doxycycline prophylaxis impacts. Work spans genomic epidemiology, machine learning for susceptibility prediction, and evolutionary genetics.

Key contributions include developing genomic surveillance tools and predictive models for antimicrobial resistance. The PDRC lab collaborates on diagnostic innovations and public health strategies to mitigate pathogen spread.