Assistant professor Klas I Udekwu

PhD in microbiology

Research Interests and Accomplishments

In collaboration, I identified and characterized two targets for the well-conserved Escherichia coli antisense acting bacterial small RNA (sRNA), MicA. I showed this sRNA to function on both its cis- (Outer Membrane Protein A mRNA) target, and its  trans- (the quorum sensing protein LuxS mRNA) target, the only sRNA known to act bi-functionally in this manner. Changing fields to microbial population biology and ecology, I went on to characterize the density effect of antimicrobials on different strains of Staphylococcus aureus, showing this effect to be ubiquitous and not limited to beta-lactam antibiotics as commonly believed. With my mentor Bruce R Levin, we re-defined within the context of microbial population biology, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as a function of density and bacterial physiological state rather than a constant as employed in clinical settings. With a broad-based interest in microbial physiology and ecological adaptation combined with a medical-ecological focus, I am currently using macro-, and microfluidic based approaches to study polymicrobial population interactions. Among the current projects running are those considering quorum (or more appropriately, small-molecule) signaling between microbial species and the continuous evolution of interacting populations. Most importantly, I am interested and actively involved in the furthering of interdisciplinary science education in developing countries with the Mathematics / Biology /Biochemistry interphase as focus. Privately, my interests are in music of many types, cartoons and travel.