Our research is focused on discovering new treatment strategies for multi-drug resistant infections. We are currently investigating the repurposing potential of disulfiram (Antabuse) to treat vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and fluconazole-resistant Candida infections. In S. aureus, it was discovered that disulfiram is able to lower the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin to increase its susceptibility to this first-line antibiotic for MRSA infections. Mechanistic studies have revealed that disulfiram functions as an antimetabolite and this action may counteract the vancomycin resistance mechanism in S. aureus. In Candida, disulfiram was found to be a fungicidal agent and have synergism with copper, but through a fungistatic mechanism. The contrasting mechanisms are also being investigated through pharmacological studies.
Highlights of our research publications from various lab projects are presented below.
Projects in the lab have been supported by NIH-NIAID, NASA-EPSCoR, WVCTSI, and Marshall University Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine.
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