CUPIC

Agatha joined the lab in 2006 after completing a BSc (Hons.) at York University in Toronto, Ontario, her home town. Agatha's research focus is on antimicrobial resistance the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC).

The BCC group of Gram-negative bacteria can cause severe respiratory disease in individuals with cystic fibrosis or chronic granulomatous disease. Treatment of BCC infections is greatly impaired by the high intrinsic resistance of most strains to a broad range of antimicrobials. Furthermore, BCC bacteria can elicit a marked inflammatory response from cells of the innate immune system.

Current research projects:

I. Antimicrobial resistance in the BCC
II. Antimicrobial enhancement of the innate immune response to BCC

Selected Publications

1.Jassem, AN, Zlosnik, JE, Henry DA, Hancock RE, Ernst RK, Speert DP. 2011. In Vitro Susceptibility of Burkholderia vietnamiensis to Aminoglycosides. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2011 Feb 14. [Epub ahead of print]

2. Donato KA, Zareie M, Jassem AN, Jandu N, Alingary N, Carusone SC, Johnson-Henry KC, Sherman PM. 2008. Escherichia albertii and Hafnia alvei are candidate enteric pathogens with divergent effects on intracellular tight junctions. Microb Pathog. 2008 Nov-Dec;45(5-6):377-85.

Agatha Jassem

Dr. David Speert's Laboratory Members