Molecular Veterinary Microbiology group

Research carried out in the Molecular Veterinary Microbiology group (Mol-VET-Miro) has two main pillars: 1) Prevention and cure bacterial diseases in animals and humans through detailed understanding of molecular mechanism involved in host pathogen interaction, pathogen adaptation to growth and survival in the host and to treatment with antimicrobials, and 2) the importance of livestock for health and livelihood of people in low-and-middle income countries and for the global antimicrobial resistance burden.

Figure. The two pillars of the research group. Left, illustrations from a study of molecular aspects of persister cell formation in the bacterium Streptococcus agalactiae (photo by Nanna Boll Greve), right photo from a study of disese transmission between wildlife, livestock and humans centrede around water sources among pastoralis in Norther Tanzania and Southern Kenya (photo by Amandus P. Muhairwa).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We investigate molecular disease mechanisms of bacterial diseases in production and companion animals, and where relevant also in humans (zoonoses), we explore alternatives to antibiotics such as helper drugs, vaccines, bacteriophages, and antibacterial peptides, and we study the spread of clinically relevant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance in livestock and society, including how this affects health and livelihood of people in low- and middle-income countries. Additionally, we are at the forefront of molecular bacterial taxonomy within the bacterial family Pasteurellaceae. 

Our toolbox is state of the art. We run modern DNA-sequencing facility, short read as well as long read technologies, we use sophisticated animal, microscopy and cell culture models, and we have expertise to genetically modify bacterial pathogens. We mainly work with veterinary relevant bacteria e.g. Salmonella, E. coli, staphylococci, streptococci and Pasteurella.  

“We focus on basic aspects, because if you know your enemy, then you know how to defeat it.  Project dealing with alternatives to antimicrobials have become an important part of our research portfolio, because antimicrobial resistance is a major global health threat to humans and animals. Denmark has been a pioneer in reducing antimicrobial use in animals, and we are show-casted as an example for other countries. It is, however, important to realize that we cannot just use solutions developed in Denmark to improve the situation in low-and-middle income countries. We must realize their situation and suggest solutions accordingly” says research group leader John Elmerdahl Olsen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previous Funding sources:

  • Danida
  • EU Commission FP7
  • Lundbeck Foundations 

 

 

Twenty recent publications from the group (members of the group at the time where results of a publication were generated are highlighted in bold) 

  • Łopucki R, Sajnaga E, Kalwasińska A, Klich D, Kitowski I, Stępień-Pyśniak D, Christensen H, Green spaces contribute to structural resilience of the gut microbiota in urban mammals. Sci Rep. 2024 Jul 5;14(1):15508. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-66209-4. PMID: 38969657
  • Łopucki R, Stępień-Pyśniak D, Christensen H, Kubiński K, Lenarczyk E, Martinez-de-Tejada G, Kitowski I, Masłyk M, Interspecies transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria between wild birds and mammals in urban environment. Vet Microbiol. 2024 Jul;294:110130. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2024.110130. PMID: 38820727
  • Christensen H, Kuhnert P, Foster G, Bisgaard M, Mannheimia indoligenes sp. nov., proposed for clade V organisms of Mannheimia. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2024 May;74(5). doi: 0.1099/ijsem.0.006370. PMID: 38739681
  • Benevides VP, Saraiva MMS, Nascimento CF, Delgado-Suárez EJ, Oliveira CJB, Silva SR, Miranda VFO, Christensen H, Olsen JE, Berchieri Junior A, Genomic Features and Phylogenetic Analysis of Antimicrobial-Resistant Salmonella Mbandaka ST413 Strains. Microorganisms. 2024 Feb 1;12(2):312. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms12020312.PMID: 38399716
  • Arahal D, Bisgaard M, Christensen H, Clermont D, Dijkshoorn L, Duim B, Emler S, Figge M, Göker M, Moore ERB, Nemec A, Nørskov-Lauritsen N, Nübel U, On SLW, Vandamme P, Ventosa A, The best of both worlds: a proposal for further integration of Candidatus names into the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2024 Jan;74(1). doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.006188. PMID: 38180015
  • Greve NB, Slotved HC, Olsen JE, Thomsen LE, Identification of antibiotic induced persister cells in Streptococcus agalactiae. PLoS One. 2024 Jun 26;19(6):e0303271. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303271. PMID: 38924011.
  • Moussa J, Gargallo-Viola D, Thomsen LE. A novel high-throughput screening method for identifying compounds that inhibit plasmid conjugation. MethodsX. 2024 May 3;12:102740. doi: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102740. PMID: 38737486.
  • Alobaidallah MSA, García V, Wellner SM, Thomsen LE, Herrero-Fresno A, Olsen JE, Enhancing the Efficacy of Chloramphenicol Therapy for Escherichia coli by Targeting the Secondary Resistome. Antibiotics (Basel). 2024 Jan 12;13(1):73. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13010073. PMID: 38247632.
  • Ngunguni SM, Moodley A, Msefula C, Mkakosya R, Muloi DM, Patterns and drivers of antibiotic use in small-scale broiler production systems in Lilongwe District, Malawi. Prev Vet Med. 2024 Sep;230:106263. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106263. PMID: 38964210.
  • Mbatidde I, Ndoboli D, Ayebare D, Muloi D, Roesel K, Ochieng L, Dione M, Tenhagen BA, Biryomumaisho S, Wampande E, Wieland B, Olsen JE, Moodley A, Antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli in semi-intensive and free-range poultry farms in Uganda.One Health. 2024 May 23;18:100762. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100762. PMID: 38910948.
  • Morang'a AK, Muloi DM, Kamau SM, Onono JO, Gathura PB, Moodley A, Mapping the flow of veterinary antibiotics in Kenya. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Apr 5;11:1304318. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1304318. PMID: 38645649.
  • Saraiva MMS, Benevides VP, Guerra PR, Campos IC, Rodrigues Alves LB, Paiva JB, Muniz LM, Almeida AM, Freitas Neto OC, Olsen JE, Berchieri Junior A, Deletions of ttrA and pduA genes in Salmonella enterica affect survival within chicken-derived HD-11 macrophages. Curr Genet. 2024 Aug 16;70(1):14. doi: 10.1007/s00294-024-01299-1.PMID: 39150461.
  • Lam S, Hoffmann V, Bett B, Fèvre EM, Moodley A, Mohan CV, Meteo-Sagasta J, Nguyen-Viet H, Navigating One Health in research-for-development: Reflections on the design and implementation of the CGIAR Initiative on One Health. One Health. 2024 Mar 13;18:100710. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2024.100710. PMID: 38533195.
  • Wellner SM, Alobaidallah MSA, Fei X, Herrero-Fresno A, Olsen JE, Genome-wide identification of fitness-genes in aminoglycoside-resistant Escherichia coli during antibiotic stress. Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 20;14(1):4163. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-54169-8. PMID: 38378700.
  • Alobaidallah MSA, García V, De Mets R, Wellner SM, Thomsen LE, Herrero-Fresno A, Olsen JE, Uncovering the Important Genetic Factors for Growth during Cefotaxime-Gentamicin Combination Treatment in blaCTX-M-1 Encoding Escherichia coli. Antibiotics (Basel). 2023 Jun 1;12(6):993. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics12060993.PMID: 37370312.
  • Muloi DM, Kurui P, Sharma G, Ochieng L, Nganga F, Gudda F, Muthini JM, Grace D, Dione M, Moodley A, Muneri C, Antibiotic quality and use practices amongst dairy farmers and drug retailers in central Kenyan highlands. Sci Rep. 2023 Dec 28;13(1):23101. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-50325-8. PMID: 38155204.
  • Kisoo L, Muloi DM, Oguta W, Ronoh D, Kirwa L, Akoko J, Fèvre EM, Moodley A, Wambua L, Practices and drivers for antibiotic use in cattle production systems in Kenya. One Health. 2023 Oct 30;17:100646. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2023.100646. PMID: 38024269.
  • Pinto Jimenez CE, Keestra S, Tandon P, Cumming O, Pickering AJ, Moodley A, Chandler CIR, Biosecurity and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions in animal agricultural settings for reducing infection burden, antibiotic use, and antibiotic resistance: a One Health systematic review. Lancet Planet Health. 2023 May;7(5):e418-e434. doi: 10.1016/S2542-5196(23)00049-9. PMID: 37164518 Review.
  • Aves KL, Guerra PR, Fresno AH, Saraiva MMS, Cox E, Bækbo PJ, Nielsen MA, Sander AF, Olsen JE, A Virus-like Particle-Based F4 Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Vaccine Is Inhibited by Maternally Derived Antibodies in Piglets but Generates Robust Responses in Sows. Pathogens. 2023 Nov 24;12(12):1388. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12121388. PMID: 38133272.
  • Fei X, Schroll C, Huang K, Christensen JP, Christensen H, Lemire S, Kilstrup M, Thomsen LE, Jelsbak L, Olsen JE 5. The global transcriptomes of Salmonella enterica serovars Gallinarum, Dublin and Enteritidis in the avian host. Microb Pathog. 2023 Sep;182:106236. doi: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106236. PMID: 37419218

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post graduate training courses offered by the group

  •  Infection Microbiology: Virulence and Molecular Microbiology (Line Elnif Thomsen)
  • Bioinformatics for Microbiologists (Henrik Christensen)

 

 

Bachelor and Master projects
Group leader

Group Leader

John Elmerdahl Olsen
Professor
Stigbøjlen 4,
1870 Frederiksberg C, 1-20

jeo@sund.ku.dk

Phone: +45 35 33 27 84
Cell:  +45 51 25 03 99

Group/project members

Internal researchers

Name Title Phone E-mail
Aalbæk, Bent Associate Professor Emeritus +4535332781 E-mail
Agersø, Yvonne Affiliate Professor E-mail
Bülow, René Engelbrecht Attendant OAO +4535332752 E-mail
Christensen, Henrik Associate Professor +4535332783 E-mail
Devett, Hanne Research Secretary +4535326068 E-mail
Fei, Xiao Postdoc +4535320713 E-mail
Greve, Nanna Boll Visitor +4535327774 E-mail
Guerra, Priscila Regina Postdoc +4535323329 E-mail
Moodley, Arshnee Associate Professor +4535332711 E-mail
Moussa, Jennifer Research Assistant E-mail
Nisar, Sajid PhD Student +4535323666 E-mail
Olsen, Carrie Susy Biomedical Laboratory Scientist +4535323506 E-mail
Olsen, John Elmerdahl Professor +4535332784 E-mail
Thomsen, Line Elnif Associate Professor +4535332754 E-mail
Zhao, Yufei PhD Fellow E-mail
Zhao, Ruoxuan PhD Student +4535336191 E-mail