In recent years, several dermatophytes within the Trichophyton interdigitale /Trichophyton mentagrophytes Species Complex have become a significant public health concern due to increasing drug resistance and rapid transmission in human populations, leading to serious and difficult-to-treat skin infections. This complex includes 28 genotypes. Notably, T. indotineae (formerly T. mentagrophytes genotype VIII) was recently recognized as a distinct species, with resistance to the first-line drug terbinafine observed in over 50% of isolates. T.

Scientists at the Wadsworth Center have developed a novel molecular assay to evaluate the risks posed by the emerging toxic cyanobacterium Aetokthonos hydrillicola. A. hydrillicola is associated with invasive aquatic plants and is capable of producing two potent toxins: aetokthonotoxin, a brominated neurotoxin, and aetokthonostatin, a cytotoxic dolastatin analog. Aetokthonotoxin has been identified as the cause of Vacuolar Myelinopathy, a fatal neurological condition linked to deaths in wildlife including eagles, waterfowl, fish, and bobcats.

Staff from the Newborn Screening Program at the Wadsworth Center participated in the annual meeting of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, held March 10–14 in Baltimore, Maryland, where they presented research highlighting New York State’s leadership in newborn screening. Dr. Denise Kay presented “Targeting CFTR Deletions and Duplications in Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening: Implications for Sensitivity and Equity,” addressing strategies to improve detection and ensure equitable screening outcomes. Dr.

Ms. Deanna Luneau, a fifth-year Environmental Health Sciences PhD candidate conducting her doctoral research at the Wadsworth Center, was recently featured in a student spotlight on the University at Albany College of Integrated Health Sciences website. Working under the  mentorship of Dr. Patrick Parsons in the Trace Elements Laboratory at Wadsworth’s Biggs Laboratory, Ms.

Scientists at the Wadsworth Center have developed a new online resource to help researchers better understand Mycobacterium abscessus (MABS), an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that can cause difficult-to-treat infections.  Drs. Anil Ojha and Pallavi Ghosh of the Division of Genetics, together with Dr. Pascal Lapierre of the Bioinformatics Core, created the MABS Pangenome Explorer, an interactive, web-based tool designed for rapid exploration of the M. abscessus pangenome (https://abscessus.wadsworth.org/)

Dr. Spencer Bruce, Director of the Bioinformatics Core at Wadsworth, recently presented during the February State Public Health Bioinformatics (StaPH-B) Monthly Call. StaPH-B is a bioinformatics consortium created by subject matter experts affiliated with the Association of Public Health Laboratories. The consortium represents bioinformaticians from across the United States and internationally who are focused on addressing common barriers to bioinformatics implementation in state and public health laboratories.

Dr. Thomas Bartlett, a new Principal Investigator in the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Genetics, was invited to present his research at the annual Dartmouth College Microbiology & Molecular Pathogenesis Program (M2P2) Retreat, held February 12–13, 2026, in Fairlee, Vermont. The M2P2 retreat convenes scientists from across New England, New York, and eastern Canada to share cutting-edge research in microbiology and infectious disease. In his seminar, “LOST IN TIME AND SPACE: How does Staph aureus decide when and where to divide?” Dr.

Dr. Kurunthachalam Kannan of the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Environmental Health Sciences (DEHS) gave the keynote presentation at the SafePlastChem conference, organized by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) and held in Monte Verità, Switzerland, from January 26-29, 2026. 

In October 2023, the New York State Newborn Screening Program launched a landmark one-year pilot study to screen every infant born in the state for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV). The results of this study, funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, were recently published in JAMA Network Open, confirming the feasibility of using dried blood spots for large-scale cCMV screening. While cytomegalovirus is common and often harmless in most people, infection in utero can lead to severe complications.

Dr. Abhishek Jain of the Wadsworth Center has been selected to serve as a judge for the Bioanalysis Rising Star Award 2026, presented by Bioanalysis Zone, Taylor & Francis Group. Judges for this award are recognized as leading experts in the bioanalytical community, responsible for evaluating and identifying the most promising early-career scientists whose research demonstrates innovation, rigor, and potential to advance the field. Serving as a judge highlights Dr. Jain’s expertise, leadership, and influence in shaping the next generation of bioanalytical researchers.