2003 Public Lecture Series
The World of Microbes: Uncovering Infectious Agents
Part 1
Once a microbe's genome sequence is known, the work of understanding how it is expressed -- turned on or off -- can begin in earnest. Powerful new technologies give scientists insights into how a pathogenic microbe causes disease. One approach is to identify groups of genes that are expressed at different times or places during infection, a process known as differential gene expression. Pathogenic microbes change their gene expression throughout the infection process in response to their host environment. For example, life in the sewer is very different from life in the human gut for a microbe like Salmonella that causes gastrointestinal disease. Similarly, the tuberculosis bacterium adjusts to life within the human host by regulating its gene expression. Understanding which TB genes are expressed within humans, and when, will provide new clues about effective targets in the fight against this persistent pathogen. The recent sequencing of the plague bacterium's genome now allows the same technologies to be applied to this disease threat.
Kathleen McDonough, Ph.D.
Dr. McDonough, who joined Wadsworth Center in 1993, is a member of the Laboratory of Mycobacterial Disease. Her studies of tuberculosis and plague examine the infections from two perspectives: the molecular biology of the microorganism and the immune system of the host. With more than 10 years experience working with highly infectious agents, she has played a significant role in developing Wadsworth's bioterrorism response capability. She received a doctorate in microbial pathogenesis from Stanford University, where she was a National Science Foundation Fellow, and did postdoctoral work on tuberculosis as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Postdoctoral Fellow at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. McDonough is an assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the University at Albany's School of Public Health. She also has taught a popular short course on molecular biology for laboratory technicians, fellow scientists and other Wadsworth employees.