Zackular Laboratory Research Overview

With the rise of non-antibiotic associated C. difficile infection (CDI), the Zackular Lab is interested in studying the potential impact of environmental factors on susceptibility to and severity of C. difficile. Of particular interest are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are the most widely consumed pharmaceutical drugs worldwide.

Epidemiological data and our preliminary work suggest that NSAIDs may alter the gut microbiota and impact severity of CDI. There is also growing evidence that environmental factors, such as diet, have a profound impact on the structure and function of the gut microbiota.

Antibiotic treatment can have a profound impact on the structure and function of the gut microbiota, leading to a loss in colonization resistance to invading pathogens. The gut is not sterile following antibiotic treatment and pathogens like C. difficile are entering a polymicrobial environment upon colonization. Antibiotic-resistant members of the microbiota, such as the Enterococci, frequently thrive following antibiotic treatment and can become highly abundant during CDI. We are interested in studying how members of the gut microbiota that remain after antibiotic treatment impact C. difficile during infection. Interspecies interactions can be attributed to the development of numerous polymicrobial infections and bacterial synergy is associated with disease exacerbation and increased antimicrobial resistance.