David A. Rasko

David A. Rasko is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment at the Institute for Genome Sciences. His research integrates genomic and molecular approaches to investigate bacterial pathogenesis, with emphasis on Enterobacteriaceae including Escherichia coli, Shigella, and Klebsiella species.

• B.Sc. in Microbiology (with Distinction), University of Alberta (1995)
• Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta (2000)

Dr. Rasko's work focuses on microbial genomics to understand virulence mechanisms, antibiotic resistance evolution, and host-pathogen interactions. His laboratory employs comparative genomics, transcriptomics, and phylogenetic analyses to identify genetic determinants of pathogenicity across diverse bacterial pathogens. Key contributions include the development of genomic tools for pathogen characterization and elucidation of evolutionary pathways in enteric pathogens.

His publication record demonstrates consistent focus on genomic epidemiology of healthcare-associated pathogens, with recent work emphasizing real-time genomic surveillance applications in clinical settings. Dr. Rasko's research bridges fundamental genomic discoveries with translational applications for infection control and diagnostics development.

Dr. Rasko has maintained continuous research funding through collaborations with clinical and public health institutions, supporting genomic investigations of outbreak pathogens and antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.