Investigation of antibiotic sensitivity and virulence factors of the Tasmanian clonal strain of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa isolated from CF patients ($36,000)
A grant has been awarded to this team led by Dr L Roddam. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited life-shortening condition that mainly affects the patient’s lungs and is especially prevalent in the Tasmanian population. A frequent complication associated with the disorder is that the lungs of CF patients are often colonised by a bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) which results in chronic lung infection and damage, frequent hospitalisation and more severe disease that significantly shortens life expectancy.
A Tasmanian isolate (widespread in both the north and south of the state) of this bacteria has become specialised for growth in the CF lung environment and so poses an increased risk to those individuals with the condition as this specialised isolate is harder to treat, more persistent and results in worse disease symptoms for infected people.
This study will characterise the isolate and try to identify the most effective antibiotic treatment. The Researcher will also investigate the mechanisms that have allowed the Tasmanian isolate to more efficiently colonise the CF lung environment than other isolates, comparing the proteins produced by the Tasmanian isolate to those produced by a less clinically severe isolate.
Tasmania's Clifford Craig Medical Research Trust was established in 1991.