Maria Hadjifrangiskou, PhD, PI of the prior P20 Exploratory Center at Vanderbilt University, recently published an exciting new article about uropathogen evolution in spina bifida patients. The article, titled, “Unmasking pathogen traits for chronic colonization in neurogenic bladder,” discusses how small genomic changes over time lead to pathogen persistence and, ultimately, chronic colonization of the urinary tract.

The implicated mutations were associated with remodeling of the cell envelope, allowing the pathogen to evade the immune system. The paper also shows evidence of bacterial phage susceptibility, which suggests a possible therapeutic approach to prevent persistent colonization. Dr. Hadjifrangiskou says this work is the beginning of their efforts to understand pathogen ecology in the chronically colonized host.

Dr. Hadjifrangiskou obtained her B.Sc. in Molecular Biology & Biotechnology from Clarion University in PA, completed her Ph.D. in Microbiology & Molecular Genetics from the University of TX-Health Science Center & MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and completed her post-doctoral training at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis.

She is now an Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at Vanderbilt University as well as an active member of the CAIRIBU Urobiome Research Interest Group. Other authors on the paper include Seth Reasoner, MD, PhD, internal medicine/gastroenterology resident at Case Western University, Maryellen Kelly, DNP, MHSc, K12 Alumni from Duke University’s KURe program, and Douglass Clayton, MD, collaborator with the P20 Exploratory Center at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Hadjifrangiskou’s work not only advances our understanding of uropathogen persistence but also opens the door to innovative, targeted strategies for disrupting chronic urinary tract colonization.