Karen Visick
Karen Visick | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karen Gillen |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Washington |
| Known for | Bacterial biofilm and symbiosis |
| Awards | American Academy of Microbiology (2016) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine |
| Website | ssom |
Karen Visick is an American microbiologist and expert in bacterial genetics known for her work on the role of bacteria to form biofilm communities during animal colonization. She conducted doctoral research with geneticist Kelly Hughes at the University of Washington, where she identified a key regulatory checkpoint during construction of the bacterial flagellum.[1] She conducted postdoctoral research on development of the Vibrio fischeri-Euprymna scolopes symbiosis with Ned Ruby at University of Southern California and University of Hawaiʻi. The bacteria are bioluminescent and provide light to the host. Visick and Ruby revealed that bacteria that do not produce light exhibit a defect during host colonization.[2]
Visick has been a professor at Stritch School of Medicine since 1998, where she continues her work on Vibrio fischeri. She identified and has characterized bacterial biofilm formation as a key factor required for colonization of the animal host. She identified a regulator that is critical for host colonization and called it Regulator of Symbiotic Colonization Sensor, RscS.[3] She proceeded to identify an 18-gene locus that encoded functions for extrapolysaccharide production, which she named the Symbiosis Polysaccharide, Syp.[4] The Visick Lab proceeded to determine that RscS is a key regulator of the syp EPS genes, and this system regulates bacterial biofilm formation and aggregation in host tissue during the initiation of the symbiosis.[5] The lab has proceeded to characterize the regulation and function of the biofilm.[6]
Visick was the co-organizer (Jean-Marc Ghigo was lead organizer) of the Biofilms 2018 conference in Washington, DC, which had over 500 attendees,[7] and is the lead organizer of the Biofilms 2021 conference.
Honors and awards[edit]
In 2016, Visick was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.
References[edit]
- ^ Hughes, KT; Gillen, KL; Semon, MJ; Karlinsey, JE (19 November 1993). "Sensing structural intermediates in bacterial flagellar assembly by export of a negative regulator". Science. 262 (5137): 1277–80. Bibcode:1993Sci...262.1277H. doi:10.1126/science.8235660. PMID 8235660.
- ^ Visick, KL; Foster, J; Doino, J; McFall-Ngai, M; Ruby, EG (August 2000). "Vibrio fischeri lux genes play an important role in colonization and development of the host light organ". Journal of Bacteriology. 182 (16): 4578–86. doi:10.1128/jb.182.16.4578-4586.2000. PMC 94630. PMID 10913092.
- ^ Visick, KL; Skoufos, LM (February 2001). "Two-component sensor required for normal symbiotic colonization of euprymna scolopes by Vibrio fischeri". Journal of Bacteriology. 183 (3): 835–42. doi:10.1128/JB.183.3.835-842.2001. PMC 94949. PMID 11208780.
- ^ Yip, ES; Grublesky, BT; Hussa, EA; Visick, KL (September 2005). "A novel, conserved cluster of genes promotes symbiotic colonization and sigma-dependent biofilm formation by Vibrio fischeri". Molecular Microbiology. 57 (5): 1485–98. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2005.04784.x. PMID 16102015.
- ^ Yip, ES; Geszvain, K; DeLoney-Marino, CR; Visick, KL (December 2006). "The symbiosis regulator rscS controls the syp gene locus, biofilm formation and symbiotic aggregation by Vibrio fischeri". Molecular Microbiology. 62 (6): 1586–600. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05475.x. PMC 1852533. PMID 17087775.
- ^ Visick, KL (November 2009). "An intricate network of regulators controls biofilm formation and colonization by Vibrio fischeri". Molecular Microbiology. 74 (4): 782–9. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2958.2009.06899.x. PMC 2906375. PMID 19818022.
- ^ Fuqua, C; Filloux, A; Ghigo, JM; Visick, KL (19 February 2019). "Biofilms 2018: A diversity of microbes and mechanisms". Journal of Bacteriology. 201 (18). doi:10.1128/JB.00118-19. hdl:10044/1/69023. PMC 6707918. PMID 30782638.
External links[edit]
- Living people
- 20th-century American biologists
- 20th-century American women scientists
- 21st-century American biologists
- 21st-century American women scientists
- American bacteriologists
- American women molecular biologists
- Women bacteriologists
- American molecular biologists
- University of Washington alumni
- University of Southern California alumni
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni
- Loyola University Chicago faculty
- American women academics