Studying Group A Streptococcus is Important Because:

...we know relatively little about its pathogenesis

...we have no vaccine

...antibiotic resistance is rapidly increasing and even against susceptible strains, antibiotics often fail

...and antibiotics for possible strep throat (~1 b/yr) contribute to resistance in other pathogens

Our Major Questions:

Does GAS behave differently during different infections?

Why does GAS hyperactivate the immune system?

How does GAS resist our immune defenses?

Can we disarm GAS? Without antibiotics?

We are Translating our Work With with GAS for Insights Into:

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (infections of the cystic fibrosis lung)

Staphylococcus aureus (skin infection)

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumonia)

Yersinia pestis (pneumonic and bubonic plague)

endophthalmitis (eye infection)

wound and surgical site infections

rheumatoid arthritis