Research and Teaching Interests
We study the mechanisms of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative pathogens Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both these organisms are classified as ‘critical’ by the World Health Organization due to their resistance to almost all classes of antibiotics. Specifically, we are studying multidrug efflux pumps in A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa that belong to the Resistance-Nodulation-Division (RND) family. We are interested in establishing RND pumps’ substrate profiles, deciphering their regulatory pathways, understanding their biochemical mechanisms, and investigating their role in the antibiotic resistance as well as virulence of bacteria. Further, we are also studying the prevalence of bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in drinking water samples from First Nation communities in Manitoba.