The global challenge of antibiotic resistance continues to drive innovative research into bacterial growth and division. Dr. Thomas Bartlett, a newly appointed principal investigator in the Division of Genetics at the Wadsworth Center, chaired the Cell Division session at the prestigious Gordon Research Conference on Bacterial Cell Biology and Development, held in Manchester, NH. Dr. Bartlett’s session highlighted the diverse mechanisms of bacterial cell division, particularly in organisms with varied cell shapes, and featured cutting-edge research on pathogens including Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Staphylococcus aureus. These insights are central to identifying new drug targets in the battle against resistant bacteria.
During the conference, Dr. Bartlett also met with collaborators from Harvard University and New York University to explore applying the Wadsworth Center’s advanced super-resolution microscopy capabilities to test emerging models of bacterial division. He returned to Albany with valuable perspectives from unpublished, leading-edge research, which will not only strengthen the Wadsworth Center’s scientific initiatives, but also support broader efforts to combat antibiotic resistance and protect public health in New York State.