SBS Research Pillar Key Visual for Development, Disease and Target Discovery Mobile Version

Profile Photo of SBS Faculty Cynthia Whitchurch

Prof. Whitchurch, Cynthia

Professor

Phone: (65) 6592 7943
Email: [email protected]

The Whitchurch lab is focused on understanding how bacteria build biofilms, co-ordinate collective behaviours, share genetic information through natural transformation and the role of extracellular DNA (eDNA) in these processes. We also explore how bacteria survive antibiotic treatment by lifestyle switching. We use a range of approaches including molecular microbiology, biochemistry, biofilm models, tissue- and organoid culture, and advanced microscopy to further our mechanistic understanding of these biological processes and the interplay of alternative bacterial lifestyles to infection and antimicrobial resistance. 

The major research areas of the Whitchurch lab include:

• Autolytic programmed cell death in Pseudomonas aeruginosa– mechanism, regulation and role in biofilm development

• Natural transformation in biofilms – mechanism, role in horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of eDNA and plasmids

• Cell wall deficiency (CWD) – biology of lifestyle transitions and proliferation, role in antibiotic tolerance, exploiting CWD for antibiotic potentiation

• Microbial colonisation of the gut-– spatial and temporal organisation of the microbiome, pathobionts and dysbiosis

Research Areas

Microbiology, Biofilms, Microbiomes, Infection, Antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
  • Turnbull, L., Leigh, R., Cavaliere, R., Osvath, S.R., Nolan, L.M., Smyth, D., Verhoeven, K., Chole, R.A., and Whitchurch, C.B. “Device Design Modifications Informed by In Vitro Testing of Bacterial Attachment Reduce Infection Rates of Cochlear Implants in Clinical Practice.” Microorganisms 9, no. 9 (2021): 1809. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9091809
  • Mandal, P.K., Ballerin, G.B., Nolan, L.M., Petty, N.K., and Whitchurch, C.B. “Bacteriophage Infection of Escherichia coli Leads to the Formation of Membrane Vesicles via Both Explosive Cell Lysis and Membrane Blebbing.” Microbiology 167, no. 4 (2021): 001021. https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.001021
  • Hynen, A.L., Lazenby, J.J., Savva, G.M., McCaughey, L.C., Turnbull, L., Nolan, L.M., and Whitchurch, C.B. “Multiple Holins Contribute to Extracellular DNA Release in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms.” Microbiology 167, no. 2 (2021): 000990. https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.000990
  • Nolan, L.M., Turnbull, L., Katrib, M., Osvath, S.R., Losa, D., Lazenby, J.J., and Whitchurch, C.B. “Pseudomonas aeruginosa Is Capable of Natural Transformation in Biofilms.” Microbiology 166, no. 10 (2020): 995–1003. https://doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.000956
  • Turnbull, L., Toyofuku, M., Hynen, A.L., Kurosawa, M., Pessi, G., Petty, N.K., Osvath, S.R., Cárcamo-Oyarce, G., Gloag, E.S., Shimoni, R., Omasits, U., Ito, S., Yap, X., Monahan, L.G., Cavaliere, R., Ahrens, C.H., Charles, I.G., Nomura, N., Eberl, L., and Whitchurch, C.B. “Explosive Cell Lysis as a Mechanism for the Biogenesis of Bacterial Membrane Vesicles and Biofilms.” Nature Communications 7 (2016): 11220. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms11220