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BAKALETZ LABORATORY
Our laboratory’s research focus is attempting to understand the pathogenic mechanisms operational in the polymicrobial disease, otitis media (OM) (or middle ear infection). Specifically, we are interested in elucidating how upper respiratory tract viruses predispose the middle ear to invasion by any of the three predominant bacterial pathogens of OM. We are also interested in understanding how the mammalian host responds to each of these groups of microbes, particularly at the level of innate immunity, as well as determining how the bacteria involved (primarily nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae) defend themselves against these innate immune effectors. Using multiple approaches, we then attempt to identify potential molecular targets for the design, development and pre-clinical testing of vaccine candidates using an animal model of viral-bacterial superinfection that we developed. Our long-term goal is to develop novel methods to treat or preferably, to prevent, otitis media.
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| Education |
| 1984 |
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Ph.D. |
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Microbiology |
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The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH |
| Professional Experience |
| 2008- PRES |
Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology (joint appointment), The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University |
| 2007- PRES |
Vice President for Basic Science Research, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital |
| 2007- PRES |
Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University |
| 2006- 2007 |
Vice President for Basic Science Research, Columbus Children's Research Institute |
| 2000- 2007 |
Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, The Ohio State University |
| 1998- 2000 |
Associate Professor, Dept. of Pediatrics, Children's Research Institute, The Ohio State University |
| 1993- 1998 |
Associate Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology, The Ohio State University |
| 1987- 1993 |
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Otolaryngology, The Ohio State University |
| 1985- 1986 |
Post-doctoral Researcher, Dept. of Otolaryngology, The Ohio State University |
BAKALETZ LABORATORY STAFF
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Principal Investigator:
Lauren Opremcak Bakaletz, Ph.D.
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| Selected Publications |
| Bakaletz, L.O. (2009). Chinchilla as a robust, reproducible and polymicrobial model of otitis media and its prevention. Expert Rev Vaccines, 8(8):1063-1082. PubMed ID: 19627188 |
| McGillivary, G., Mason, K.M., Jurcisek, J.A., Peeples, M.E., Bakaletz, L.O. (2009). RSV-induced dysregulation of expression of a mucosal β-defensin augments colonization of the upper airway by nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. Cell Micro, 11(9):1399-1408. PubMed ID: 19500108 |
| Morton, D.J., Seale, T.W., Bakaletz, L.O., Jurcisek, J.A., Smith, A., VanWagoner, T.M., Whitby, P.W., Stull, T.L. (2009). The heme-binding protein (HbpA) of Haemophilus influenzae as a virulence determinant. Int J Med Microbiol, 299(7):479-488. PubMed ID: 19451029 |
| Murphy, T.F, Bakaletz, L.O., Smeesters, P. (2009). Microbial interactions in the respiratory tract. Pediatr Infect Dis J, 28(10):S121-S126. |
| Novotny, L.A., Adams, L.D., Kang, D.R., Wiet, G.J., Cai, X., Sethi, S., Murphy, T.F., Bakaletz, L.O. (2009). Epitope mapping immunodominant regions of the PilA protein of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) to facilitate the design of two novel chimeric vaccine candidates. Vaccine, 28(1):279-289. PubMed ID: 19699813 |
| Bakaletz, L.O. (2009). Immunopathogenesis of polymicrobial otitis media. J of Leukocyte Biol, (Epub ahead of print, Oct 20). doi: 10.1189/jlb.0709518 PubMed ID: 19843575 |
| Murphy, T.F., Faden, H., Bakaletz, L.O., Kyd, J.M., Forsgren, A., Campos, J., Virgi, M., Pelton, S.I. (2009). Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae as a pathogen in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J, 28(1):43-48. PubMed ID: 19057458 |
| Novotny, L.A., Partida-Sanchez, S., Munson Jr., R.S., Bakaletz, L.O. (2008). Differential uptake and processing of an OMP P5-derived immunogen by chinchilla dendritic cells. Infect Immun, 76(3):967-77. PubMed ID: 18160476 |
| Bookwalter, J.E., Jurcisek, J.A., Gray-Owen, S.D., Fernandez, S., McGillivary, G., Bakaletz, L.O. (2008). A carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 homologue plays a pivotal role in nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization of the chinchilla nasopharynx via the outer membrane protein P5-homologous adhesin. Infect Immun, 76(1):48-55. PubMed ID: 17938212 |
| McGillivary, G., Bakaletz, L.O. (2008). Innate immune defenses: Finding a new way to calm the storm. Immunol Cell Biol, 86(8):639-40. PubMed ID: 18794905 |
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