# Infectious Disease Institute ## expand\_more ![Infectious Disease](/sites/g/files/omnuum9886/files/eye/files/copy_of_untitled_10.png) Sort***DIRECTOR*** [Michael S. Gilmore, PhD](/michaelgilmore) ***ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS*** [James Chodosh, MD, MPH](/jameschodosh) [Marlene Durand, MD](/marlenedurand) ***MANAGER*** [Paulo Bispo, PhD](/paulobispo) ***MEMBERS*** [See a list of Infectious Disease faculty](/faculty/idi) The Infectious Disease Institute is a Harvard-wide initiative that operates in conjunction with the NIH-sponsored Harvard-wide Program on Antibiotic Resistance/Boston Area Antibiotic Resistance Network. This alliance promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between Harvard-affiliate hospitals and industry partners to screen and validate new compounds and for microbial infections—many of which can affect the eye. Members of the Infectious Disease Institute also explore the cellular mechanisms of infection (including host-pathogen interactions) and the genetics of microbial pathogens (such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi) to better understand the proliferation and spread of antibiotic resistance and identify novel therapeutic targets. ## Major Research Breakthroughs In the last 20 years, our faculty have speaheaded many new innovations and advances in the field. Notably, they have: - Established a 10,000-strain repository of clinical isolates and new molecular-based infection diagnostics to improve eye care - Developed a new rapid PCR-based diagnostic test for the leading causes of infectious uveitis - Identified a mechanism for the evolution of novel adenoviruses that cause epidemic keratoconjunctivitis - Pioneered new comparative and functional genomics technologies to discover how staphylococci and streptococci infect the ocular surface - Traced the origins of antibiotic resistance in a leading multidrug-resistant hospital pathogen to the emergence of land animals, 450 million years ago - Identified the molecule dynamin 2 as a key regulator of adenovirus trafficking, affecting both viral replication and inflammation, and identified a unique viral trafficking pathway in human corneal fibroblasts involving dynamin 2 ## 2020 Vision: Promising Areas For Future Research Our investigators aim to develop promising new compounds to fight the leading causes of multidrug-resistant infections, including staph and other related bacteria; and to develop new technologies, such as the Nanostring Project, which aims to develop a rapid diagnostic technology that would allow for early detection of corneal infection before scarring or blindness occurs. ## Featured News [### Study Led by Michael Gilmore, PhD, Identifies Pathway for how Enterococcus Faecalis Bacteria Causes Antibiotic-Resistant Infection ](/news/study-led-michael-gilmore-phd-identifies-pathway-how-enterococcus-faecalis-bacteria-causes) April 18, 2019 [### Researchers develop new class of antibiotics to fight leading superbugs ](/news/researchers-develop-new-class-antibiotics-fight-leading-superbugs) March 29, 2018 [### Antibiotic-resistant microbes date back to 450 MYA, well before the age of dinosaurs ](/news/antibiotic-resistant-microbes-date-back-450-mya-well-age-dinosaurs) May 11, 2017 [### Michael Gilmore, PhD, chairs $20 million antibiotic-resistance challenge ](/news/michael-gilmore-chairs-20-million-antibiotic-resistance-challenge) April 13, 2017 [ More arrow\_circle\_right ](/news?f%5B0%5D=hwp_c_category1%3A65341) ## Recent Publications Download 4 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&&content_filter%5B0%5D=1823161&content_filter%5B1%5D=1814386&content_filter%5B2%5D=1806616&content_filter%5B3%5D=1806541&&format=ris) ### 2024 Hartsough E, Nazarian R, Cornejo K, Stagner A. [Unusual isolated cytomegalovirus cutaneous infections: A subtle histopathologic diagnosis with review of the literature](/publications/unusual-isolated-cytomegalovirus-cutaneous-infections-subtle-histopathologic). J Cutan Pathol. 2024; PMID: 38654546 Hartsough E, Nazarian R, Cornejo K, Stagner A. [Unusual isolated cytomegalovirus cutaneous infections: A subtle histopathologic diagnosis with review of the literature](/publications/unusual-isolated-cytomegalovirus-cutaneous-infections-subtle-histopathologic). J Cutan Pathol. 2024; PMID: 38654546 - add\_circle do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common and often self-limited. Reactivation results in a variety of disease presentations, especially in the setting of immunocompromise. While cutaneous manifestations of systemic CMV infection are rare, dermatologic... Baldwin G, Gaier E, Hennein L. [Isolated Sixth Nerve Palsy and COVID-19: Response](/publications/isolated-sixth-nerve-palsy-and-covid-19-response). J Neuroophthalmol. 2024; PMID: 38457247 Baldwin G, Gaier E, Hennein L. [Isolated Sixth Nerve Palsy and COVID-19: Response](/publications/isolated-sixth-nerve-palsy-and-covid-19-response). J Neuroophthalmol. 2024; PMID: 38457247 Schwartzman J, Lebreton F, Salamzade R, Shea T, Martin M, Schaufler K, Urhan A, Abeel T, Camargo I, Sgardioli B, Prichula J, Frazzon APG, Giribet G, Van Tyne D, Treinish G, Innis C, Wagenaar J, Whipple R, Manson A, Earl A, Gilmore M. [Global diversity of enterococci and description of 18 previously unknown species](/publications/global-diversity-enterococci-and-description-18-previously-unknown-species). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024;121(10):e2310852121. PMID: 38416678 Schwartzman J, Lebreton F, Salamzade R, Shea T, Martin M, Schaufler K, Urhan A, Abeel T, Camargo I, Sgardioli B, Prichula J, Frazzon APG, Giribet G, Van Tyne D, Treinish G, Innis C, Wagenaar J, Whipple R, Manson A, Earl A, Gilmore M. [Global diversity of enterococci and description of 18 previously unknown species](/publications/global-diversity-enterococci-and-description-18-previously-unknown-species). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024;121(10):e2310852121. PMID: 38416678 - add\_circle do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract Enterococci are gut microbes of most land animals. Likely appearing first in the guts of arthropods as they moved onto land, they diversified over hundreds of millions of years adapting to evolving hosts and host diets. Over 60 enterococcal species are... Clare G, Kempen J, Pavésio C. [Infectious eye disease in the 21st century-an overview](/publications/infectious-eye-disease-21st-century-overview). Eye (Lond). 2024; PMID: 38355671 Clare G, Kempen J, Pavésio C. [Infectious eye disease in the 21st century-an overview](/publications/infectious-eye-disease-21st-century-overview). Eye (Lond). 2024; PMID: 38355671 - add\_circle do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract Infectious diseases affecting the eye often cause unilateral or asymmetric visual loss in children and people of working age. This group of conditions includes viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases, both common and rare presentations which, in... [ More arrow\_circle\_right ](/topic/infectious-disease)