Robert Sydney Munson

Research Description:

Research Interests:

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is an important cause of otitis media in children, and a major cause of lower respiratory disease in children in the developing world. The organism is also associated with exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, and pneumonia in elderly and immunocompromised patients.

Haemophilus ducreyi is the causative agent of chancroid, a sexually transmitted disease. Chancroid ulcers facilitate the transmission of HIV.

My laboratory is employing a number of genetic and immunological approaches in order to assess the role of outer membrane proteins, toxins and adhesins in the pathogenesis of Haemophilus disease.

We also have a major interest in bacterial genomics. We have completed the sequence and annotation of the genomes of an NTHi strain isolated from a child at Columbus Children's Hospital and a H. ducreyi strain. This information has been used to construct microarrays in order to study global regulation of expression of virulence determinants in these organisms.

Recent papers relevant to these studies are referenced on our web site:

http://www.microbial-pathogenesis.org