Marina R. Walther-Antonio, Ph.D.

Closed for Enrollment

• “Answers in Hours” A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Microbiome Metagenomics for Bile Duct Cultures Rochester, Minn.

  The objectives of this study are to reduce the rate of bacterobilia driven surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing pancreatic head resection by providing surgical team with NS data in the post-operative setting, and to reduce cost of care through reduction in SSI and improved antibiotic stewardship.

   

   

   

• Development of Individual Human Vaginal Microbial Signatures for Women with Refractory Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis or Vaginitis Rochester, Minn.

  Our aim is to establish a correlation between the vaginal microbiome and symptomatic refractory bacterial vaginosis or vaginitis with clinical diagnostic value.  

• Microbiome and Immunologic Analysis of the Lower and Upper Female Reproductive Tract in Women with Endometriosis Rochester, Minn.

  The purpose of this study is to map the female reproductive tract microbiome in patients with and without endometriosis to seek correlations of the microbiome to endometriosis, to determine if lower reproductive tract microbiome is predictive of upper reproductive tract changes by comparing composition of the microbiome in the lower and upper reproductive tracts, to explore immunologic differences in patients with and without endometriosis, compare presence of immunologic factors and cells between ectopic and eutopic endometrium, and to compare systemic immune system characteristics in patients with and without endometriosis using mass cytometry of peripheral blood samples.

• Microbiome on Neckties from Hospital Staff Rochester, Minn.

  The purpose of this study is to assess the microbial composition present on neckties from physicians with clinical contact, research scientists, and administrators working in a health care setting.

• Sequencing and Culturing of Target Microbiota in Endometrial Cancer Rochester, Minn.

  The purpose of this study is to anaerobically (completely without oxygen) isolate and culture the bacteria species from the uterus that are believed to be associated with endometrial (the lining of the uterus) cancer. This will allow further tests to assess interactons between the bacteria, and between the bacteria and the host cells.

• Testing of Real-Time Diagnostic Platform (HPView) for the Detection of High-risk HPV Strains in Urine Rochester, Minn.

  The purpose of this study is to test whether our developed real-time HPV detection platform (HPView) performs at a comparable level to the clinical gold-standard.

• Testing of Real-Time Diagnostic Platform for the Detection of Influenza Strains in Saliva Rochester, Minn.

  The purpose of this study is to develop a colorimetric test for influenza virus detection in a chemically engineered cup/tube. When sample fluid (saliva) is in the tube, the fluid color turning blue indicates a positive result. We are in the process of developing this test, and will test on saliva samples from flu patients.