Robert Abramovitch

Robert Abramovitch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Genetics, & Immunology and the BioMolecular Science Gateway at Michigan State University. His research focuses on understanding how Mycobacterium tuberculosis adapts to intracellular environments, particularly within macrophages, to develop novel drug therapies.

Education: B.Sc. (2000, University of British Columbia), Ph.D. (2006, Cornell University), Postdoctoral studies (2007–2011, Cornell University).

Research Interests: My lab investigates the mechanisms of M. tuberculosis adaptation to acidic pH, carbon nutrient sources, and other host-derived cues. We utilize genetic, genomic, and biochemical approaches to identify targets for drug discovery. Key projects include characterizing the PhoPR-aprABC pathway and developing high-throughput screening platforms for inhibitors of bacterial survival mechanisms.

Recent Research Trends: Our work highlights pH-driven adaptation as a critical survival strategy, with recent findings linking PhoPR signaling to virulence attenuation. We also explore the role of central carbon metabolism in bacterial persistence and the translational potential of synthetic reporter systems for drug screening.

Grants & Awards: Not explicitly listed, but research is funded by NIH grants focused on tuberculosis pathogenesis and drug development.

Lab & Collaborations: The Abramovitch Lab collaborates with institutions on drug discovery initiatives, including the development of whole-cell assays targeting validated pathways. Future work aims to expand studies on hypoxia and host immune interactions.