Summary / Notes

Expert in the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, including both phenotypic (Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration determination through microbroth dilution) and genotypic mechanisms (screening of antibiotic resistance markers/genes using multiplex PCR, mutation frequency analysis, and evaluation of antimicrobial compounds against multidrug-resistant pathogens). Skilled in molecular typing techniques such as accessory gene regulatory (agr) system analysis, Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing, Staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to identify specific clones circulating in hospital environments and community-associated infections. Experienced in studying the expression of virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria, particularly Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Proficient in cell line assays using the RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line, the invertebrate Galleria mellonella infection model (in vivo), and various in vitro microbiological and molecular assays, including real-time PCR, biofilm formation assays, screening of biofilm-associated genes, and biofilm optimization under static and shaking conditions.