Molecular Genetics Laboratory

 

Laboratory 216 School of Biological Sciences Macleay Building A12 University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia

Multiresistant strains of the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus ("Golden Staph") are a frequent cause of hospital-acquired infections worldwide. One reason for the success of S. aureus as a hospital pathogen is the resistance of some strains to up to twenty different antimicrobial compounds, e.g., antibiotics, antiseptics and disinfectants. In the Molecular Genetics Lab we use genetical, molecular biology, biochemical, biophysical, cell biology, genomics, functional genomics and bioinformatic methods to gain an understanding of the genetic basis, mechanisms, and evolution of resistance in staphylococci. Our research has been funded by Project Grants from NHMRC, Discovery Grants from ARC, and R&D Grants from the University of Sydney.

 

 

Lab Personnel

 

Chief Investigators

• Neville Firth (Publications & Grants)
• Slade Jensen (Research Interests / Publications)
• Stephen Kwong (Research Interests / Publications)
• Bruce Lyon (Research Interests / Publications)
• Ron Skurray (Research Interests / Selected Publications)

 

Postgraduate Students

• Michael Liu

Honours Students

• Evelyn Lai
• Christopher McKenzie
  
• Sing Nguyen

 

Honours Projects for 2009 (click for details)

 

1. Partitioning systems of staphylococcal multiresistance plasmids. (Neville Firth & Slade Jensen)
2. Coordinate regulation of a conjugative staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid by a global regulator of transcription. (Neville Firth & Slade Jensen)
3. Molecular analysis of staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid replication. (Neville Firth & Stephen Kwong)
4. What turns the commensal bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis inta a human pathogen? (Bruce Lyon & Neville Firth)
5. How are the genetic determinants for antimicrobial resistance exchanged amongst pathogenic staphylococci? (Bruce Lyon & Neville Firth)

 

 

Lab Facilities (click for details)

 

The Molecular Genetics Laboratory is extremely well equipped for contemporary molecular biology, genetics, cellular, and bioinformatics research, and this is supplemented by conveniently located shared instrument facilities containing major equipment items. Molecular Genetics Lab staff and students also have access to an office area with networked computers and wireless internet, as well as state-of -the-art kettle, toaster, fridge, microwave and sink!

 

 

Upcoming & Recent Lab Seminar & Poster Presentations

 

• 13/10/08 Biology of multiresistance plasmids from Staphylococcus aureus. Neville Firth. Department of Microbiology, Monash University
• 8/7/08 Analysis of a segregational stability determinant from Staphylococcus aureus multiresistance plasmids. Neville Firth. ASM2008, Melbourne Convention Centre, Melbourne
• 4/12/07 Understanding a problem that won't go away: Antibiotic resistance plasmids in "Golden Staph". Neville Firth. Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Diseases, University of Technology, Sydney
• 26/9/07 Staphylococcus aureus host-factors involved in replisome assembly at the replication origin of multiresistance plasmid pSK41. Stephen Kwong. BacPath9; The Molecular Biology of Bacterial Pathogens, Lorne
• 26/9/07 Mainteneance mechanisms of multiresistance plasmids from staphylococci. Neville Firth. BacPath9; The Molecular Biology of Bacterial Pathogens, Lorne
• 26/9/07 Flexibility of electrostatic interactions in the bivalent drug binding pocket of the Staphylococcus aureus multidrug transporter QacA. Karl Hassan. BacPath9; The Molecular Biology of Bacterial Pathogens, Lorne
• 10/7/07 Structural and functional analysis of the antisense RNA controlling replication of multiresistance plasmid pSK41 from Staphylococcus aureus. Neville Firth. ASM2007, Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide
• 26/9/06 Global regulation of survival functions in conjugative staphylococcal multiresistance plasmids. Slade Jensen. Plasmid Biology 2006, Fallen Leaf Lake, California, USA
• 26/9/06 Antisense RNA-mediated replication control of staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid pSK41. Stephen Kwong. Plasmid Biology 2006, Fallen Leaf Lake, California, USA
• 24/9/06 Replication and maintenance of multiresistance plasmids from staphylococci. Neville Firth. Plasmid Biology 2006, Fallen Leaf Lake, California, USA
• 28/10/05 Multiresistance plasmids in "Golden Staph": Easy to get, hard to lose. Neville Firth. Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle
• 28/9/05 Partitioning of the staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid pSK41. Anthony Brzoska. ASM2005, National Convention Centre, Canberra
• 27/9/05 Coordinate regulation of a conjugative staphylococcal multiresistance plasmid by a global transcriptional regulator. Slade Jensen. ASM2005, National Convention Centre, Canberra
• 26/9/05 Replication control of staphylococcal multiresistance plasmids. Stephen Kwong. ASM2005, National Convention Centre, Canberra
• 28/8/05 Mutagenesis studies of transmembrane proline residues within the S. aureus multidrug transporter QacA. Karl Hassan. Gordon Research Conference on Multi-drug Efflux Systems, University of Oxford, UK
• 28/8/05 Multidrug recognition by the QacR regulatory protein. Kate Hardie. Gordon Research Conference on Multi-drug Efflux Systems, University of Oxford, UK

 

 

Past Lab Members

 

• William Figgett (Garvan Institute)
• Kate Hardie (School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, University of Queensland)
• Karl Hassan (Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University)
• Anthony Brzoska (Biological Sciences, University of Newcastle)
• Fiona Guan (Centenary Institute)
• George Sharbeen (Centenary Institute)
• Penny Ho (Kolling Institute of Medical Research)
• Cindy Pon (Kolling Institute of Medical Research)
• Melissa Brown (School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University)
• Rebecca LeBard (School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of NSW)
• Sumalee Apisiridej (Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Thailand)
• Tracey Berg (Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute)
• Mary Byrne (John Innes Centre, UK)
• Sue Firth (Kolling Institute of Medical Research)
• Matthew Gillespie (St.Vincent's Institute)
• Samantha Ginn (Gene Therapy Research Unit - Children's Medical Research Institute)
• Steve Grkovic (Kolling Institute of Medical Research)
• Anusha Hettiaratchi (School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales)
• Amornrut Leelaporn (Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University, Thailand)
• Tim Littlejohn (IBM Healthcare & Life Science)
• Bernadette Mitchell (Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney)
• Ian Paulsen (Department of Chemistry & Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University)
• Alice Simpson (CSIRO Molecular Science)
• Jan Tennent (Pfizer Animal Health)

 

 

(c) The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia.

ABN: 15 211 513 464    CRICOS Number: 00026A

Authorised by: School of Biological Sciences.   Last Updated: 28/5/08 by Neville Firth

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