The Education Committee of the Eastern PA Branch ASM will host a career panel for our Student Chapter members and other interested students. The panel is geared toward graduate students, although some junior or senior undergraduate students may be interested in attending as well.

Panel members represent industry, clinical settings, consulting, government, education and other areas. The following presenters will be participating in the panel discussion:

Dr. James Brown
Dr. Pina Fratamico
Dr Brian M. Forster
Dr. Stacey Lettini
Ms. Joanne Lilliendahl
Mr. Daniel McArdle
Dr. Shelly Rankin
Dr. John Renye

Date: Thursday, September 21, 2023
Time: Reception 5pm, Panel Discussion 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Location: Drexel University College of Medicine
New College Building, 245 N. 15th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102. (parking nearby, see attached map)

Pre-Registration is advised. Contact:
Bobi McHale (mchaleb@comcast.net) or Brian Forster (bforster@sju.edu)

Donald C. Hall, Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Drexel University College of Medicine
(Early Career Symposium sponsored by ASM Young Ambassadors Program)

“Outsmarting Pathogens: Navigating the Frontier of Drug Discovery with Stringent Response Inhibitors”

The bacterial stringent response, a highly conserved mechanism for bacterial resistance, is controlled by the secondary metabolite (p)ppGpp, known as the magic spot alarmone. This alters cells through transcriptional processes involving RpoS, nucleotide pools, PolyP levels, and direct interaction with RNA Polymerase. Housekeeping of the magic spot alarmones is managed by enzymes RelA and SpoT, falling under the RSH superfamily. RelA and SpoT respond to stresses, influencing (p)ppGpp levels. The stringent response is important as a drug target due to its effects on bacterial quiescence, making bacteria metabolically resistant to antibiotics, and on virulence and toxin production. Disrupting the response reduces resistance and virulence. Our approach involves in silico screening of 5 million compounds, followed by in vitro and in vivo assays to identify effective “hit compounds.” Stage 2 involves a Structure Activity Relationship study, using empirical data to design new compounds. Our team has developed a RelA inhibitor effective against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, targeting the stringent response.

Congratulations to James Nowoslawski, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Courtney Comar, PhD, CPEP Clinical Microbiology Fellow at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Nicole Loeven, PhD, CPEP Clinical Microbiology Fellow at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania/Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, recipients of this years Peggy Cotter ASM Travel Award to attend ASM Microbe 2023 in Houston.