Speaker: Dr Santiago Castillo-Ramírez, Associate Professor, Centre for Genomic Sciences, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), will present a seminar entitled: Phylogeography and genomic variation of a neglected lineage of Acinetobacter baumannii

Host:     Ben Evans  (Norwich Med School) / Laura Wagstaff

Abstract:
Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens nowadays. However, its genome diversity has been considerably understudied in less developed countries.

In this talk I will show how, in order to try to amend this, we conducted a phylogenomic analysis of 22 newly sequenced genomes from Mexico and Honduras plus over 95 publicly available genomes from different parts of the world. Among the many linages we found what seems to be an endemic lineage to Central and North America. This lineage seems to have emerged recently and a considerable amount of its genomic variation is due to rapid gene content variation and, due to this, isolates even just a few months apart have different predicted antibiotic resistance profiles.

I will also highlight the emergence and molecular evolution of a newly described D Beta-lactamase (OXA-239).  Key to our approach is an integrated framework in which we analyse at the same time the phylogeography and molecular evolution of the lineages under study.

Further information: http://www.ccg.unam.mx/en/santiago-castillo-ramirez/

All staff from organisations on the Norwich Research Park are welcome to attend.