معرفی
Amanda Oglesby, PhD, is a Professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore, MD. She leads the Oglesby Lab, which is dedicated to understanding the role of iron in bacterial physiology and pathogenesis, with a focus on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Her lab is located in the HSFII building on the University of Maryland campus.
Her research centers on iron homeostasis, a critical factor in host-pathogen interactions. The lab investigates how bacteria regulate iron uptake and utilization through small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), particularly the PrrF and PrrH sRNAs in P. aeruginosa. These sRNAs help bacteria adapt to iron scarcity during infection and regulate virulence factors such as quorum sensing molecules and secretion systems. A major focus is on how these systems evolve in chronic infections, particularly in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung, where P. aeruginosa adapts to utilize heme as an iron source.
The lab's recent publications highlight work on calprotectin-mediated metal starvation, heme-responsive regulation, and polymicrobial interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. These studies often involve collaborations with experts in mass spectrometry and immunology at UMB and MIT, supported by NIH funding. The research aims to identify novel antimicrobial targets by understanding bacterial iron metabolism.
Scientific awards and honors are not mentioned in the provided text.
Dr. Oglesby mentors graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and welcomes applications from high school and undergraduate interns. Her lab collaborates extensively, including with Dr. Angela Wilks (heme acquisition in CF), Dr. Maureen Kane (metabolomics), and Dr. Elizabeth Nolan (MIT, calprotectin biology). The lab uses a multidisciplinary approach combining genetics, molecular biology, and biochemical analysis.
The Oglesby Lab was established in 2012 and is actively involved in cutting-edge research on bacterial iron regulation and its implications for infectious disease and antimicrobial development.
