Principal Investigator
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, Microbiology, and Molecular Genetics
Executive Director, Charles T. Campbell Laboratory of Ophthalmic Microbiology
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Publications
Contact Information
UPMC Vision Institute
UPMC Mercy Pavilion
1622 Locust Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
shanksrm@upmc.edu
Research Focus
Research in our lab generally employs molecular techniques to investigate mechanisms of bacterial virulence and host-pathogen interactions of the eye. We also work on strategies to mitigate ocular infections, including the evaluation of novel antimicrobial approaches such as predatory bacteria (bacteria that eat other bacteria) and combination therapies with the “Trojan Horse” antibiotic cefiderocol. Our primary bacteria of interest are Moraxella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, and Staphylococcus aureus.