Senior Staff

We study mechanisms of protein biosynthesis in bacterial and eukaryotic cells, with a goal to understand bacterial drug resistance and identify new drug targets, using biochemical and high-resolution 3D cryo-EM techniques.

We use NextGen sequencing to determine frequencies and sequence dependence of polymerase errors, and computational methods for drug design, structure prediction, and elucidating chemical and conformational mechanisms.

We study the molecular basis of bacterial growth and cell shape determination in critical bacterial pathogens with “unusual” shapes. Our research helps us to understand how bacterial shape contributes to pathogenesis, and identifies vulnerabilities in understudied bacterial growth plans.

The core's focus is next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis, research computing, phylogenomics, antibiotic resistance, and large-scale data mining, in support of the evolving needs of the research community and public health initiatives.

Ms. Buscher provides oversight of all Wadsworth Center administrative functions encompassing human resources, budgeting associated with 12 funding sources, purchasing, travel, extramural grants administration, internal controls and compliance with policies and practices.

As Assistant Director of the Wadsworth Center, Ms. Cairns plays a critical role in shaping Center-wide polices, responding to inquiries received by the Center, reviewing and managing internal documents, and contributing to special projects.

We develop new technologies for fungal diagnostics and pathogenic mechanisms of Cryptococcus gattii and Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the etiologic agents of human cryptococcal meningitis and bat white nose syndrome, respectively.

Dr. Chave serves as the Director of the Biochemistry Core as well as the Protein Expression Core.

Dr. Chithalen brings to the Wadsworth Center fifteen years of experience as a researcher, scientist and supervisor, with expertise in clinical toxicology/chemistry, biomonitoring, community outreach/public engagement, separation method development and mass spectral identification.

Newborn Screening Program: We develop data visualizations and reports for public health surveillance. We provide education and work collaboratively with external stakeholders to improve the overall quality of the newborn screening system in NYS.

We investigate heterogeneous reactions occurring on ice, environmental particle and nanoparticle surfaces to better understand the atmospheric pollution processes and their impact on human health using spectroscopic techniques.

We study arbovirus adaptation and vector-virus interactions, focusing on West Nile virus and Culex mosquitoes. Areas of interest include mutant swarm dynamics, mechanisms of adaptation, microbial interactions and vectorial capacity.

Core personnel work along side investigators to develop imaging strategies and image analysis protocols needed to solve their research questions.

We investigate ecological and genetic adaptation of Anopheles malaria vectors to environmental factors that impact vectorial capacity, population genetics/genomics, ecology and behavior, and novel ways to monitor and control vectors.

We focus on developing and improving diagnostic tools for rabies. Additional research programs focus on studying rabies in bats within the laboratory and in field environments.

The Laboratory of Viral Diseases' Molecular Methods Development Team evaluates high complexity diagnostic assays and platforms in order to enhance molecular-based diagnostics in virology and support Wadsworth Center's ability to rapidly respond to the emergence of viral pathogens.

We study mycobacteria and use molecular genetic approaches to investigate: global gene expression, at both transcriptional and translational levels; the mechanism of distributive conjugal transfer; and synthetic genetic interactions.

We are engaged in algorithms and software tool development for the prediction of RNA secondary structure and their applications to understand mechanisms of regulatory non-coding RNAs, with a recent focus on microRNAs and small bacterial RNAs.

We develop new approaches to calibration and use advanced statistical tools to minimize matrix effects and improve the accuracy and sample throughput of spectrochemical methods such as MIP-OES, ICP-OES, and ICP-MS to determine trace elements in a wide variety of samples of public health interest.

We focus on the targeted, ultra-trace measurement of emerging organic contaminants in New York State’s drinking water supplies through both regulated and research-based mass spectrometry methods.