Dr. Davies (College of Human Medicine) main area of current research is on perinatal group B Streptococcal infections. He is a member of the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis at Michigan state and works closely with his colleagues, Shannon Manning, PhD from the Division of Infectious Diseases, Thomas Whittam from the National Center for Food Safety and Toxicology and Terry Marsh from the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Dr. Davies established a province-wide population based surveillance network to study neonatal group B streptococcal infections in Alberta, Canada. This network has subsequently been used effectively in helping to elucidate the epidemiology of GBS in Canada as well as to unravel some previously unanswered questions related to the pathogenicity of this disease in the literature. His team conducted the first population-based studies of the epidemiology of neonatal GBS infections in Canada that provided detailed information on capsular serotypes and an estimation of the coverage rates of candidate GBS conjugate vaccines. His team has also studied cohorts of pregnant women to examine the relationship between specific GBS serotypes and pathogenicity, examined the role of rapid GBS screening using real time PCR for pregnant mothers, and conducted preliminary studies on the role of the streptococcal immunogenic protein (Sip) as a potential vaccine candidate. Other studies completed by Dr. Davies and his current or previous teams have included a study of focus groups of women on the acceptability of putative GBS vaccines, use of multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) for examining pathogenic potential of GBS, the virulence factors of GBS and the microbial ecology of the vaginal tract.
Dr. Manning (College of Human Medicine) is a molecular epidemiologist who conducts detailed clinical and molecular epidemiologic studies involving group B streptococcus and Escherichia coli. She received her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Michigan and her PhD in Epidemiologic Science also from University of Michigan in 2001. Dr. Manning subsequently completed a fellowship in Emerging Infectious Diseases Research with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Dr. Manning’s seminal work with Drs. Betsy Foxman and Carl Marrs at the University of Michigan has led to the elucidation of different aspects of the molecular epidemiology of GBS and E. coli. Their studies have led to an increased understanding of the factors important for GBS colonization in non-pregnant adults. Her colleagues for her current research include Drs. Dele Davies, Tom Whittam, Dr. Terry Marsh from MSU and Dr. Betsy Foxman from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Patterson (College of Osteopathic Medicine) is a frequent research mentor for pediatric residents on various infectious diseases topics. She has a strong area of research interest in parvovirus infections as well as perinatal infections.
Dr. Kumar’s (College of Human Medicine) primary research interest is in judicious use of antimicrobials and medical education.
Dr. Obaro’s (College of Human Medicine) interests are in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Hemophilus influenzae infections in immunocompetent and immunocompromized hosts primarily in developing countries. Dr. Obaro has extensive experience with clinical trials and studies of pneumococcus in the Gambia that have led to much better understanding of the epidemiology of infection with this pathogen as well as demonstration of the efficacy of the conjugate pneumococcal vaccines. He also has an interest in HIV infections in developing countries.
Dr. Rosenberg (College of Osteopathic Medicine) has a primary interest in group A streptococcal (Streptococcus pyogenes) infections. Prior to joining the division, Dr. Rosenberg worked as a fellow with the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development establishing field studies of S. pyogenes in Bamako, Mali. Her studies include the molecular epidemiology of S. pyogenes among children, a cross sectional study of the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease, and the etiology of diarrhea among Malian infants.