My research focuses on the epidemiology and patient outcomes of drug-resistant bacterial infections. I conduct comparative effectiveness research and am largely interested in healthcare databases. The overarching goal of my research is to promote population health through informed and meaningful healthcare decision-making.
Images of P. aeruginosa biofilm—a bacterial community that takes the form of mushroom-like structures. Main/upper left image looks down at the biofilm, the lower/righthand images show cross-sections. This biofilm was cultured from the airways of a patient with cystic fibrosis.
Nearly every human bacterial infection—including some of the most serious, life threatening, and costly to treat—can take the form of a biofilm, in which bacteria aggregate into structured communities that enclose themselves within a secreted slime.
I specialize in the treatment of multi-drug resistant infections. My area of research is in the pharmacodynamic optimization of antibiotics for the treatment of multi-drug resistant gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. I am particularly interested in the treatment of bacterial biofilms, which are particularly difficult to treat with conventional antibiotics. I am also an Infectious Diseases Pharmacist Specialist at UCSF Health. In the School of Pharmacy, I am heavily involved in the PharmD curriculum and am currently the co-director of the Foundations course.
