Socially Distant, Scientifically Cohesive!
L toR: Rachel Day, Sophie Gregory, Jess Emrich, Brooke Allen, Lauren Kaelin, Meghan Blackledge, Ashley King, Mikaela Seemann, Nick Kirby, and Dexter Boldog
The Blackledge lab is interested in understanding and manipulating bacterial behavior and pathogenesis using small molecules and peptides. Specifically, we are interested in identifying novel small molecules that combat bacterial biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial persistence. We use a wide variety of techniques from organic synthesis to microbiology and biochemistry to answer these questions.
Our lab is committed to equity and diversity. We are interested in fostering scientists who are curious, committed, and excited by challenging scientific questions. Students of all backgrounds are welcomed and encouraged to ask about openings! Email Dr. Blackledge (mblackle@highpoint.edu) for more information.
8.2.22 - Collaboration with wonderful colleagues and friends is one of the best parts of science! We are thrilled to share our latest review article "Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers: Versatile Strategies to Combat Bacterial Biofilm Formation" in collaboration with the Lundin and Fiser labs.
5.7.22 - Congratulations to all the HPU graduates in the class of 2022! We are especially proud of lab members Brooke Allen, Lauren Kaelin, Ashley King, and Maggie Mauer! Congratulations and stay in touch!!
4.25.22 - Check out our recent manuscript "Brominated Carbazole with Antibiotic Adjuvant Activity Displays Pleiotropic Effects in MRSA’s Transcriptome" now published in ACS Chemical Biology! This is a very interesting follow up on our recent paper describing the identification of brominated carbazoles as novel antibiotic adjuvants and shows at the transcriptional level just how many pathways and genes these molecules are affecting. Great work to the co-authors and undergraduates who crunched all this data and verified the findings through LOTS of PCR!
2.9.22 - Our recent paper "Identification and evaluation of brominated carbazoles as a novel antibiotic adjuvant scaffold in MRSA" is now published in ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters and was chosen as an Editors' Choice article! Congratulations to everyone who worked hard on this project!! The article can be accessed here or through our publications list. (click to see more)
10.5.21 - Ashley King's review article "Evaluation of small molecule kinase inhibitors as novel antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents" is now published in Chemical Biology and Drug Design! Congratulations, Ashley!! The article can be accessed here or through our publications list.
2.19.21 - The Blackledge lab was awarded a 2021 OrgSyn PUI grant for summer research! This funding will support Jess Emrich and her work developing novel routes to highly decorated carbazoles. Thank you, OrgSyn for supporting our work!!
7.6.20 - Some of us are back in the lab for an abbreviated summer of research! Dexter, Lauren, and Nick are all back in the lab and already churning out great scientific discoveries. Stay tuned for images from our socially distant and masked adventures!
3.27.20 - Congratulations to Mikaela Seemann for winning a 2020 Barry Goldwater Scholarship! The Goldwater Scholarship is considered the most prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering in the United States. The Goldwater Foundation seeks to identify and support college sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise of becoming this Nation’s next generation on leaders in the STEM fields. The selection criteria include a strong commitment to a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering, effective display of intellectual intensity in the sciences, mathematics and engineering and potential for significant future contribution to research in their field. Way to go, Mikaela!!!
6.17.19 - Congratulations to Mikaela Seemann for being awarded a competitive position in the Red Sea Summer Program at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology! Great job, Mikaela!!
6.12.19 - Check out the coverage in C&EN about our recent discovery that loratadine can inhibit staphylococcus biofilms and potentiate antibiotics in resistant strains of S. aureus! Common allergy drug makes resistant bacteria vulnerable to antibiotics
6.5.19 - The Blackledge and Miller labs have been awarded R15 funding by NIH NIGMS! Thank you, NIH for believing in us and supporting our projects!
5.24.19 - Congratulations to Nick, Kyra, Rebecca, and Mikaela on their latest publication in ACS Infectious Diseases! See publications to read all about it!
5.11.19 - Congratulations to Nick Cutrona who graduated today! Great job, Nick! You will be missed!!
4.16.19 - Three members of the Blackledge lab were honored by the Department of Chemistry today! Nick Cutrona won the senior award for departmental service, David Allen won the Outstanding Organic Chemistry Student award, and Mikaela Seeman won the Outstanding General Chemistry Student award. Congratulations!!
4.16.19 - Mikaela Seemann was awarded the top poster prize at High-PURCS today! Congratulations, Mikaela!!