Carilion Basic Science Research Lab 2025 Year in Review

The MISSION of Carilion Basic Science Research Lab (CBSRL) is to create an environment that promotes the success of researchers and their activities.

Research activities include the support of clinical research and engagement in basic science endeavors. Clinical research efforts include both performing research analysis on clinical specimens as well as supporting research specimen processing. The primary focus of basic science bench research continues to be related to clinically relevant infectious diseases.

 Current basic science projects address approaches to multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and biofilms.             

·       Antisense peptide nucleic acids

·       Focused ultrasound

o   Biofilm ablation

o   Rapid release of genomic DNA

·       One Health investigations

·       Wastewater surveillance

·       Technology development to improve local responses

CBSRL research is rooted strongly in academia. The primary drivers of CBSRL research, bringing fresh ideas, new skills, and abundant energy, are VTCSOM student researchers. CBSRL also works with students and faculty from VT, RU, UVA, and Governor’s School and others.

All publications and presentations are the result of collaborations within the lab community and beyond to state, national, and international partners.

Publications:

Monique Gainey.; Alexia Stettinius.; Hal Holmes.; Emmanuel Naatei Nartey.; Sydney Stayrook.; Adam Maxwell.; Eli Vlaisavljevich.; Jayasimha Rao. (Jan 26,2026). P-1687. Evaluation and Characterization of a Novel DNA Lysis Technique for Extraction of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria DNA. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 13 doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofaf695.1861.

Kropp, G.A.; Karp, H.Q.; Rao, J.; Muller, H.S.; Sriranganathan, N.; Nowak, E.S.; Schulz, M.D. Polydopamine-Antibiotic Composite Coating for Antibiofilm Applications. Macromolecular Bioscience n/a, e00501, doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/mabi.202500501.

Kavyarani Rathod, Jayasimha Rao, and Chandrakanth Kelmani R. 2025. “GC–MS Profiling and Pharmacological Implications of Bioactive Compounds in Holarrhena Antidysenterica Bark Extract”. European Journal of Medicinal Plants 36 (5):127–140. https://doi.org/10.9734/ejmp/2025/v36i51300.

Maile-Moskowitz, A.; Brown, C.L.; Rumi, M.A.; Moumi, N.A.; Majeed, H.; Finkielstein, C.V.; Ceci, A.; Gonzalez, R.; Xia, K.; McDaniel, L.; et al. Relating antimicrobial use to wastewater resistance gene patterns via metagenomic analysis of two neighboring treatment plants circa the COVID-19 pandemic. npj Antimicrobials and Resistance 2025, 3, 82, doi:10.1038/s44259-025-00153-9.

Karp, H.Q.; Nowak, E.S.; Kropp, G.A.; Col, N.A.; Schulz, M.D.; Sriranganathan, N.; Rao, J. Broad Host Range Peptide Nucleic Acids Prevent Gram-Negative Biofilms Implicated in Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections. Microorganisms 2025, 13, 1948. Advanced Research on Microbial Biofilms—a Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Gianfranco Donelli Edited by Dr. Jeffrey B. Kaplan, Dr. Steven L. Percival and Dr. Lorenzo Drago version. doi:10.3390/microorganisms13081948

Sahanapriya Gubbewad, Jayasimha Rao, Meenakshi S Devarmani, Sujatha Ingin Shetty, Chandrakanth Kelmani R. Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis: Assessment of sociodemographic characteristics among the reproductive age women. Indian J. Applied & Pure Bio. 2025, Vol. 40(2), 882-889

Hannah Q. Karp, Elizabeth S. Nowak, Gillian A. Kropp et al. Novel Antisense-Peptide Nucleic Acids to Prevent Bacterial Biofilm Among Gram-Negative Bacteria Implicated in Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, 06 February 2025, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5515877/v1]

Hannah Karp, Elizabeth Nowak, Gillian Su, Nihan Akguc, Michael Schulz, Nammalwar Sriranganathan, Jayasimha Rao, P-1087. Novel Antisense Wide-Range Peptide Nucleic Acids Coated on Polystyrene Plates to Prevent Bacterial Biofilm, Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Volume 12, Issue Supplement_1, February 2025, ofae631.1275, https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae631.1275

Lia W Lehrer, Kathleen Linsenman, Kaylin Young, Lauren E Luther, Troy Stallard, Rachel L Rogers, Susan Tolliver, Sara Houser, Jayasimha Rao, P-1301. Pilot Study Utilizing Wastewater-Based Epidemiology to Determine Presence of Gram-Negative Enterobacterial Targets in Southwest Virginia Sewersheds, Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Volume 12, Issue Supplement_1, February 2025, ofae631.1482, https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae631.1482

Gillian Su, Hannah Karp, Michael Schulz, Jayasimha Rao, Elizabeth Nowak, Nammalwar Sriranganathan, P-1078. Gentamicin-releasing polydopamine catheter coating to prevent urinary catheter-related infections, Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Volume 12, Issue Supplement_1, February 2025, ofae631.1266, https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae631.1266

Design and evaluation novel gene-specific, cell-permeable antisense peptide nucleic acids to prevent Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation. Authors: Nihan Akguc Col *, Jayasimha Rao, Govindarajan Rajagopalan, Nammalwar Sriranganathan Infect Dis Diag Treat 7: 270. https://doi.org/10.29011/2577-1515.100270

Presentations: