Barbara Kazmierczak

Dr. Barbara Kazmierczak is a Professor of Medicine and Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine, with appointments in Infectious Diseases and Microbial Pathogenesis. She directs Yale's MD-PhD program and investigates bacterial pathogenesis mechanisms in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. Her work bridges clinical and basic science research through the American Society for Clinical Investigation and American Academy for Microbiology fellowships.

• Education: PhD (Rockefeller University, 1993), MD (Cornell University Medical College, 1994)
• Departments: Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Microbial Pathogenesis
• Leadership: MD-PhD Program Director, Vice Chair for Basic Research

Her research program focuses on Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence mechanisms, including Type 3 secretion systems, Type 4 pili, and polar flagellum dynamics during infection. She explores host responses like NLRC4 inflammasome activation and longitudinal microbiome-host interactions in cystic fibrosis infants. Her lab develops novel antimicrobial approaches through personalized bacteriophage therapy.

Notable scientific awards include Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Investigator (2007), Donaghue Investigator (2002), and Hellman Family Fellow (2002). She holds leadership roles in educational initiatives including the Yale Biomed Amgen Scholars Program and Yale Combined Program in Biological Sciences.

Dr. Kazmierczak's recent publications highlight advancements in phage therapy for multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas, bacterial surface characterization methods, and microbiome chemical interactions. Her work addresses critical gaps in antibiotic resistance mechanisms and physician-scientist training optimization.

Lab affiliations:

• Whisk Lab
• Center for Pulmonary Injury, Inflammation, Repair and Therapeutics (CPIRT)
• Yale Center for Infectious Disease Modeling and Analysis