What's New (And Old)

Me:  Old. Retired from WVU School of Medicine, Dept. of Path , after 23 years as Professor Emeritus . Retained Clinical Professor status in School of Dentistry , changing from Periodontics to Endodontics Depts, reflecting my Chairing 3 Dental Postgraduate Students for MS degree in selected specialities . New .  Started new career with Allegheny Health Network , Pittsburgh , and Carnegie Mellion  encompassing clinical microbiology, pathology resident education and ongoing  Translational research in biofilms,  probiotics ( therapeutic bacteria),  chronic wounds and 3-D-printing for  unique delivery .

Center of Excellence in Biofilm Research

The Center of Excellence in Biofilm Research (CEBR) is an innovative research environment. Working in close collaboration with clinicians and Carnegie Mellon faculty, the CEBR fosters the development of surgeon-scientists, physician-scientists, and biomedical researchers by actively working to develop partnerships among teams of individuals with diverse scientific, clinical, computational, and engineering backgrounds.

Metagenomics and Microbiota/Mycobiota

Embraced the growing concepts of phyla centered infectious diseases description  , OMICs and culture independent detection of biofilm microbes , both bacterial(16S) and fungal (18S).

"Microbial Clock"

Enhanced  concept of microbes being in-synch with aging and organized   8   infectious diseases into a 4-quadrant "clock",  coinciding with diseases characterized by  4 age groups , young to old , recognizing pathogenicity at  very young and older , the latter often associated  with tumors, the former as collateral damage of overused antibiotics in first 6 months .

Probiotics (Therapeutic Bacteria)

Recognized importance of balanced microbiota with microbes acting as an "Organ System", with all benefical physiologic properties,  enabelling better understanding of 'mini-transplant'  in periodontal disease vs 'maxi – transplant' in C. difficle and GIT diseases with probiotics  . Recently,  incorporated newer pre/probiotic classified as 'homing' and 'predatory' types for tumor detection and management opportunities, recognizing genetic strength of microbiota in probiotic.

"Partners -4-Life"

Recognizing growing intervention with pre/probotics as real time management , designed and integrated with web  site, (www.globalbugs.com)  the  probiotic educational resources for public health providers  ( Partners -4-Life ) encompassing an interactive web based decision support tool with continuing upgrades from published literature meeting stringent quality guidelines , "Bac-2-Health" .

Chronic Wound Care

In ongoing studies with silver and wound closure , described bi-phasic pathophysiology (Early and Late) and unrecognized biofilm reservoir of gauzes catalyzing  "Ping –Pong" Hypothesis or re-inocuation of wound bed from gauze ; to combat,  designed  ecologically friendly SmarT er Gauze , encorporating 'Disruption/Reconstruction' theme  or 'microbial restoration' focusing on probiotics via gauze matrix delivery  resulting in balance skin organ system .

VAC and migratory oral microbiota

Ventilator Associated Complex is still a major focus for me , and united with Boston  colleges at MGH/Harvard,  a disease that is being measured with new tools focusing on air way occlusion due to mixed species biofilms  and collateral damage  associated with migratory oral microbiota. New devices we are evaluating address clearing, potentially enhanced by impregnated or layered anti-biofilm  molecules on redesigned endotrach surfaces.