CUPIC

I joined David Speert's lab in 2006 with a background in the molecular biology of the cystic fibrosis pathogen P. aeruginosa. The first person I ever met with CF was on the flight over to Vancouver and since then I have become a convert to the benefits of conducting translational research.

Since joining David's lab, my research interests have evolved to encompass the pathobiology of the Burkholderia cepacia complex - a subject I first became interested in when I worked for Dr Esh Mahenthiralingam as an undergraduate student at Cardiff University back in 2000/2001. My main interests now are to understand why it is some BCC infections in CF are mild, while others are very aggressive. Additionally, I am very actively exploiting the almost unique skills, resources and facilities available to us in CUPIC such as culture collections and clinical expertise to better understand CF lung infections.

Current Projects:

1. Understanding the contribution of exopolysaccharide production by BCC bacteria to severity of infection in CF.

2. Investigating the swimming motility phenotype in BCC bacteria from CF infections.

3. Understanding serum resistance in BCC bacteria

4. Determining the prevalence of Strep. milleri group bacteria in pediatric CF.

I'm also a big fan of long distance cycling and love to combine this with work through the annual GearUp4CF where we cycle 1,200km in 9 days across the big mountains in British Columbia.

Publications:

1. Zlosnik, J. E. A., and Speert, D. 2010. Differences between mucoid and nonmucoid Burkholderia cenocepacia Revealed by systematic transcriptomic and proteomic analysis: insights into chronic infection. Journal of Infectious Diseases (in press)

2. Zlosnik, J. E., T. J. Hird, M. C. Fraenkel, L. M. Moreira, D. A. Henry, and D. P. Speert. 2008. Differential mucoid exopolysaccharide production by members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. J Clin Microbiol 46:1470-3.

3. Ryall, B., X. Lee, J. E. Zlosnik, S. Hoshino, and H. D. Williams. 2008. Bacteria of the Burkholderia cepacia complex are cyanogenic under biofilm and colonial growth conditions. BMC Microbiol 8. 2008 Jun 27;8:108

4. Williams, H. D., J. E. Zlosnik, and B. Ryall. 2007. Oxygen, cyanide and energy generation in the cystic fibrosis pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Adv Microb Physiol 52:1-71.

5. Zlosnik, J. E., G. R. Tavankar, J. G. Bundy, D. Mossialos, R. O'Toole, and H. D. Williams. 2006. Investigation of the physiological relationship between the cyanide-insensitive oxidase and cyanide production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiology 152:1407-15.

6. Mossialos, D., G. R. Tavankar, J. E. Zlosnik, and H. D. Williams. 2006. Defects in a quinol oxidase lead to loss of KatC catalase activity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: KatC activity is temperature dependent and it requires an intact disulphide bond formation system. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 341:697-702.

7. Zlosnik, J. E., and H. D. Williams. 2004. Methods for assaying cyanide in bacterial culture supernatant. Lett Appl Microbiol 38:360-5.

James Zlosnik

Dr. David Speert's Laboratory Members