R915 Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory

Our work focused on hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, an emerging infectious disease of global health importance. Select major achievements and contributions are summarized below:

• We discovered the emerging hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains that cause life-threatening diseases with catastrophic outcomes, including pyogenic liver abscesses, endophthalmitis, meningitis, as well as necrotizing fasciitis.
• We identified the phenotypical marker and the molecular marker of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains and established the first in vitro and in vivo model to assay the virulence of this pathogen.
• We elucidated the molecular pathogenesis mechanism of this novel pathogen, particularly the unique role of capsular type in resistance to serum killing and hematogenous spread, and the modulation of virulence by DNA methylation.
• We developed molecular diagnostic methods, including capsular polysaccharide (K) genotyping and lipopolysaccharide (O) genotyping, which became standard laboratory methods for this pathogen.
• We collaborated with Professor Thomas A. Russo (Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA) to identify biomarkers to differentiate hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains from classical Klebsiella pneumoniae strains.