On the heels of receiving the 2017 Diagnostic Virology Award, an international career achievement award, Dr. Kirsten St. George, Chief of the Laboratory of Viral Diseases, was presented with the Alumni Award from the University of South Australia (UniSA) in Adelaide.
Each year, Wadsworth Center’s Arbovirology Laboratory undertakes the seasonal surveillance of mosquitoes for arboviral pathogens. Surveillance is important for control of vector-borne viruses. First, it tells us which mosquito species are present and where. Different species are capable of transmitting different pathogens, so this is crucial information. Second, it allows us to know exactly which pathogens are being carried by the mosquitoes present. Together, this informs the public, informs mosquito control efforts, and alerts physicians.
This colorful crustacean comes to us as part of a larger research investigation into environmental exposures among the Upstate New York Chinese community. The NIH-funded, home-based study looked at some unique cultural foods, personal care products, and traditional Chinese medications as potential sources of exposure to toxic metals and metalloids.
The stuff we carry around says a lot about us. If I were to dump my purse right now, you'd find a shell from my last trip to the ocean, a garnet from a hike up north and a penny pressed from an amusement park. Bacteria tell us a lot about themselves from the stuff (genes) they carry around as well. Just as you can tell where I've been from the contents of my purse, scientists can tell where bacteria have been from the contents of their genes.
Magnitude of Disease Impact
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) is a group of closely related and very important pathogens, infecting a quarter of the world’s population; New York State ranks 3rd in the nation for highest number of cases, approximately 800 new cases diagnosed per year.
Wadsworth Center's Antibiotic Resistance (AR) Regional Laboratory was chosen by CDC as one of four labs in the AR Lab Network to serve as a pilot site, "printing" with new drugs rather than ink, in order to find the most effective antibiotic.
In commemoration of the organization’s twentieth anniversary, the Hunter’s Hope Foundation presented Wadsworth Center’s Dr. Orsini and Duke University School of Medicine’s Dr. Kurtzberg with the Legacy of Hope Award. Co-recipients in the area of science and medicine were recognized for their contributions to newborn screening and the work of the organization during the 2018 Hunter’s Hope Family and Medical Symposium.
We are seeking an outstanding scientist at the Assistant or Associate Professor level to establish a competitive, grant-funded research program. Research areas of specific interest include studies on basic biological processes in bacteria, and mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance. Applicants employing innovative, cutting-edge techniques to these areas are especially encouraged to apply.