Research Scientist, Microbial Infection and Immunity
Laboratory of Dr. Paul Stoodley
Contact information:
760 Biomedical Research Tower (BRT)
460 W 12th Ave, Columbus OH 43210
Phone: (614) 292-7871
Devendra.Dusane@osumc.edu
Publications
Research Interests
Bacteria growing as biofilm are usually pathogenic in nature and can cause chronic infections and non-healing wounds. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) revealed that among all microbial and chronic infections, 65% and 80%, respectively, are associated with biofilms. In the US alone, approximately 16 million people are diagnosed with biofilm-related infections every year. At OSU Wexner Medical Center, we are working in collaboration with surgeons from the Department of Orthopaedic, Sports Medicine, Wound care specialists, Engineers and Industries to thoroughly understand the biofilm-related infections and develop new strategies to prevent biofilms.
Dr. Dusane’s current research focus in the Stoodley lab is on biofilms associated with Orthopaedic and Wound infections.
1. Orthopaedic infections.
a) Methods to detect biofilms associated with orthopaedic implant materials. Orthopaedic implant materials from patients are analyzed in the lab using microbiological, microscopic and molecular techniques, for example fluorescent and confocal microscopy, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and 16S rRNA sequencing technique. We recently developed a novel agar candle dip method to map the location of biofilms on implant materials obtained from patients. These laboratory techniques are extremely helpful for diagnostic, prevention and treatment strategies.
b) Prevention of orthopaedic infections using antibiotic loaded bone cements. This is an industry funded project with the focus on antibiotic loaded bone cements (ABLCs) to prevent orthopaedic infections. We have shown the benefits of ABLCs in inhibiting bacterial growth, preventing and killing Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms associated with orthopaedic infections. The efficacy of ABLCs against multi-drug resistant strains and mixed species biofilms will be the focus of our future research.
c) Understanding the role of Staphylococcus aureus aggregate formation in establishing biofilms in chronic orthopaedic periprosthetic joint infection. In our preliminary work that led to the NIH-R01 funding, we have shown that S. aureus rapidly aggregates in presence of synovial fluid. These aggregates are tolerant to antibiotics and evade phagocytosis by neutrophils. Our interest is to understand the mechanisms of aggregate formation and the protection it confers to the bacterial cells when they are in aggregated and biofilm mode of growth.
2. Wound Infections.
a) Development of wound model to study the mechanism of killing of bacterial biofilms using electroceutical dressings. We have developed an agar based wound model using bioluminescent strains of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus to measure loss of activity and killing when direct current was applied. Using the wound model, we have shown the efficacy of silver based wound dressing in killing P. aeruginosa and S. aureus biofilms. Electroceutical wound dressings, especially those involving current flow with silver-based electrodes has shown promise in treating biofilm infections. However, their mechanism of action is poorly understood. Using the agar wound model we will elucidate the mechanism of killing bacterial biofilms by silver based wound dressings.
