- Department
- Email Address
- [email protected]
- Research Areas
- Research Keywords
- Research Description
Bacteria harness an impressive and fascinating array of resistance mechanisms in response to toxic molecules. A comprehensive understanding of such mechanisms is essential to overcome this health threat. Utilizing a mixture of approaches, research in the lab involves gaining insight into two areas: (1) how bacteria resist antibiotics and (2) how they interact with their hosts.
- Research Summary
The Cox lab aims to gain a better understanding of the molecular underpinnings of resistance mechanisms. Specifically, we study bacterial efflux systems, which will provide insight into their physiological functions and origins and will also support future drug discovery efforts and antibiotic stewardship. In addition, recognizing the need for innovation in the search for new antibacterial agents, we are exploring novel approaches to control bacterial infections by investigating the inhibition of bacterial adhesion to host cells.
- Techniques Used
Recombinant protein expression and purification; cloning (In E. coli, L. lactis, and S. aureus); gene knockout (in E. coli and S. aureus); CRISPR/Cas9; high-throughput ELISAs; susceptibility testing; SEM; drug screening; assay development; x-ray crystallography.
- Lab Equipment
PCR machines; plate readers (Abs, luminescence, fluorescence); ELISA plate washers; incubators to shake microtiter plates at high density; tissue culture.
- Links