Dr. James O'Gara | UCD Conway

Research

Dr Jim O'Gara B.Sc., PhD.

Contact Details

Title	Senior Lecturer and Head of Graduate Studies
Address	School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science Office: G.12, Science Centre North, Belfield Postal Address: Microbiology, Ardmore House, Belfield
Telephone:	+353 1 716 2273
Email:	ei.dcu@arago.mij

Title	Conway Fellow
Address	Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research

Biography:

2007 - Present: Head of Graduate Studies, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science

2006 - 2007: Theme Leader, SBBS Infection and Immunity research strand

2005 - present: Senior Lecturer (Microbiology), University College Dublin

2004 - 2005: Senior Lecturer (Microbiology), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

1999 - 2004: College Lecturer (Microbiology), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

1997 - 1999: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Microbiology, Moyne Institute of Preventive Medicine, Trinity College Dublin

1994 - 1997: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Texas, Houston, Texas

1990 - 1994: PhD (Microbiology), University College Galway (National University of Ireland, Galway)

Research Interests

Genetics, physiology and pathogenesis of staphylococcal biofilm infections

One patient in ten admitted to hospital acquires an infection. Life maintaining therapy for seriously ill patients often necessitates the surgical implantation of medical devices, which presents a route to infection for skin bacteria, including Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus and MRSA, and can result in serious device-related infections. Device-related infections involve biofilms, which protect bacteria from antibiotics and our natural defense mechanisms. Our research is focused on elucidating the mechanisms and regulatory pathways controlling the biofilm phenotypes expressed by clinical isolates of staphylococci. We are also investigating the relationship between antibiotic resistance, biofilm and virulence in S. aureus.

Link to recent Irish Times article about our recent research
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2012/0410/1224314561042.html

Current Research in my laboratory includes

· Understanding the contribution of different Staphylococcus aureus biofilm phenotypes to virulence and evaluation of the major autolysin as a novel therapeutic target

· Investigating the impact of methicillin resistance on biofilm and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus device-associated infections

· Role of the accumulation associated protein (Aap) in the Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm phenotype

· Elucidating the mechanism of the fibronectin binding protein-mediated biofilm development in MRSA Investigating the role of the GGDEF domain protein GdpS in staphylococcal biofilm regulation.

· Characterisation of Rbf-dependent regulation of biofilm production in Staphylococcus epidermidis.

· Studies on the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of Citrox.

· Application of antimicrobial natural product coatings on consumer products and medical packaging (in collaboration with Dr Denis Dowling)

Research Projects

Sponsor : University College Dublin (UCD)
Title : Using high-throughput genome sequencing to identify mutations influencing high level methicillin resistance and virulence in MRSA
Start Date / End Date : 01-MAY-12 / 31-OCT-13

Sponsor : Marvao Medical Devices Ltd.
Title : Towards improved prevention and treatment of catheter-related infections: Evaluation of the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of ML:8
Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-10 / 30-SEP-11

Sponsor : Health Research Board (HRB)
Title : Towards improved prevention and treatment of device-related infections (DVIs): Understanding the contribution of different Staphylococcus aureus biofilm phenotypes to virulence and evaluation of the major autolysin as a novel therapeutic target
Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-10 / 30-SEP-13

Sponsor : Lexas Research Ltd.
Title : A novel sterilisation system
Start Date / End Date : 04-MAY-10 / 14-JUN-10

Sponsor : Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET)
Title : Studies on the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of Citrox
Start Date / End Date : 01-DEC-08 / 30-NOV-11

Sponsor : Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) Title : Analysis pf R6F-mediated regulation of ica operon expression and biofilm formation in Ataphylococcus aureus Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-06 / 30-SEP-09
Sponsor : Hospital Infection Society Title : Biofilm mechanisms in a clinical isolate of methicillin resistant staphylococcus Aureus Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-05 / 30-SEP-08
Sponsor : Health Research Board (HRB) Title : Genetic analysis of the biofilm phenotype in clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Start Date / End Date : 01-JUL-05 / 30-JUN-08
Sponsor : Health Research Board (HRB) Title : Characterisation of ica-independent biofilm development in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-05 / 30-SEP-08
Sponsor : Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) Title : Molecular analysis of the Staphylococcus Epidermis Biofilm Regulator IcaR Start Date / End Date : 01-APR-05 / 01-OCT-07
Sponsor : Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) Title : Role of diguenylate clyclese gene DGCS in Strathylococcus aureusbiolfilm development Start Date / End Date : 03-OCT-05 / 31-MAR-09
Sponsor : Health Research Board (HRB) Title : Investigating the role of surface proteins in exopolysaccharide-mediated staphylococcal biofilm development Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-06 / 30-SEP-09
Sponsor : University College Dublin (UCD) Title : Cyclic diguanosine monophosphate signalling in Staphylococcal physiology and pathogenesis Start Date / End Date : 01-OCT-05 / 30-SEP-08
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Current Postgraduate Students

Siobhan Hogan, Master of Science (MSc) - Thesis Supervisor

Olufunso Onayemi, Surgery (MCh) - Thesis Supervisor

Hannah Mc Carthy, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Thesis Supervisor

Elaine Waters, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Thesis Supervisor

Peer Reviewed Journals

Pozzi, C., Waters, E.M. Rudkin, J.K., Schaeffer, C.R., Lohan, A.J., Tong, P., Loftus, B.J., Pier, G.B., Fey, P.D., Massey, R.C. and O'Gara, J.P. (2012) 'Methicillin Resistance Alters the Biofilm Phenotype and Attenuates Virulence in Staphylococcus aureus Device-Associated Infections'. PLoS Pathogens, 8 (4):e-1002626. [Details]

Rudkin, J.K., Edwards, A.M., Bowden, M.G. Brown, E.L., Pozzi, C., Waters, E., Chan, W., Williams, P., O'Gara, J. P. and R.C. Massey (2012) 'Methicillin Resistance Reduces the Virulence of Healthcare-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus by Interfering With the agr Quorum Sensing System'. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 205 (5):798-806. [Details]

Stallard C.P., McDonnell K.A., Onayemi O.D., O'Gara J.P., Dowling D.P. (2012) 'Evaluation of protein adsorption on atmospheric plasma deposited coatings exhibiting superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic properties'. Biointerphases, 7 :31-39. [Details]

Stevens N.T., Greene C.M., O'Gara J.P., Bayston R., Sattar M.T., Farrell M. and Humphreys H.; (2012) 'Ventriculoperitoneal shunt-related infections caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis: pathogenesis and implications for treatment'. British Journal of Neurosurgery, Epub ahead of print . [Details]

Galvin, S., M. Boyle, R. Russell, D. Coleman, E. Creamer, J.P. O'Gara, D. Fitzgerald-Hughes, H. Humphreys; (2012) 'A practical evaluation of vaporised hydrogen peroxide, CITROX and ECASOL in the decontamination of an enclosed area'. Journal of Hospital Infection, 80 (1):67-70. [Details]

Holland, L.M., Conlon, B. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2011) 'Mutation of tagO reveals an essential role for wall teichoic acids in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm development'. Microbiology, 157 :408-418. [Details]
Houston, P., Rowe, S.E., Pozzi, C., Waters, E.M. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2011) 'An essential role for the major autolysin in the fibronectin-binding protein-mediated Staphylococcus aureus biofilm phenotype'. Infection and Immunity, 79 :1153-1165. [Details]
Rowe, S.E., Mahon, V., Smith, S.G. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2011) 'A novel role for SarX in Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm regulation'. Microbiology, 157 :1042-1049. [Details]
Cotter JJ, Maguire P, Soberon F, Daniels S, O'Gara JP, Casey E.; (2011) 'Disinfection of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms using a remote non-thermal gas plasma'. Journal of Hospital Infection, 78 (3):204-207. [DOI] [Details]
Rawlinson L.B., O'Gara, J.P., Jones, D.S. and D.J. Brayden; (2011) 'Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to the cationic antimicrobial agent pDMAEMA is influenced by cell surface charge and hydrophobicity'. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 60 (7):968-976. [Details]
Collins, J., Rudkin, J., Recker, M., Pozzi, C., O'Gara, J. P. and Massey, R. C.; (2010) 'Offsetting virulence and antibiotic resistance costs by MRSA'. The ISME Journal, 4 :577-584. [Details]
Oduwole KO, Glynn AA, Molony DC, Murray D, Rowe S, Holland LM, McCormack DJ, O'Gara JP; (2010) 'Anti-biofilm activity of sub-inhibitory povidone-iodine concentrations against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus'. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 28 :1252-1256. [Details]
Cotter JJ, O'Gara JP, Stewart PS, Pitts B, Casey E.; (2010) 'Characterization of a modified rotating disk reactor for the cultivation of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm'. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 109 (6):2105-2117. [Details]
Geoghegan, J.A., Corrigan, R.M.,Gruszka, D.T., Speziale, P., O'Gara, J.P., Potts, J.R. and T.J. Foster; (2010) 'The role of surface protein SasG in biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus'. Journal of Bacteriology, 192 :5663-5673. [Details]
Cue, D., Lei, M.G., Luong, T.T., Kuechenmeister, L., Dunman, P.M., O'Donnell, S., Rowe, S., O'Gara, J.P. and C.Y. Lee; (2009) 'Rbf promotes biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus via repression of icaR, a negative regulator of icaADBC'. Journal of Bacteriology, 191 (20):6363-6373. [Details]
Glynn, A. A., S. T. O'Donnell, D. C. Molony, E. Sheehan, D. J. McCormack, and J. P. O'Gara.; (2009) 'Hydrogen peroxide induced repression of icaADBC transcription and biofilm development in Staphylococcus epidermidis'. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 27 :627-630. [Details]
Stevens, N. T., Sadovskaya, I., Jabbouri, S., Sattar, T., O'Gara, J. P., Humphreys, H. and C. M. Greene; (2009) 'Staphylococcus epidermidis Polysaccharide Intercellular Adhesin induces IL-8 expression in human astrocytes via a mechanism involving TLR2'. Cellular Microbiology, 11 :421-432. [Details]
Cotter, J.J., O'Gara, J. P., Mack, D. and E. Casey; (2009) 'Oxygen-mediated regulation of biofilm development is controlled by the alternative sigma factor σB in Staphylococcus epidermidis'. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75 :261-264. [Details]
Stevens, N., Greene, C.M., O'Gara, J. P. and Humphreys, H.; (2009) 'Biofilm characteristics of Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates associated with device-related meningitis'. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 58 (7):855-862. [Details]
Cotter, J.J., O'Gara, J. P. and E. Casey; (2009) 'Rapid depletion of dissolved oxygen in 96 well microtitre plate Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm assays promotes biofilm development and is influenced by inoculum cell concentration'. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 103 (5):1042-1047. [Details]
O'Neill, E., Humphreys, H., and O'Gara, J.P.; (2009) 'Carriage of both the fnbA and fnbB genes and growth at 37oC promotes FnBP-mediated biofilm development in MRSA clinical isolates'. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 58 :399-402. [Details]
Stevens, N., Tharmabala, M., Dillane, T., Greene, C., O'Gara, J. P., Humphreys, H.; (2008) 'Biofilm and the role of the ica operon and aap in Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates causing neurosurgical meningitis'. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 14 :719-722. [Details]
Holland, L.M., O'Donnell, S.T., Ryjenkov, D.A., Gomelsky, L., Slater, S.R., Fey, P.D., Gomelsky, M. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2008) 'A staphylococcal GGDEF domain protein regulates biofilm formation independently of c-di-GMP'. Journal of Bacteriology, 190 :5178-5189. [Details]
O'Neill, E., Pozzi, C., Houston, P., Humphreys, H., Robinson, D.A., Loughman, A., Foster, T.J. and O'Gara J.P.; (2008) 'A novel Staphylococcus aureus biofilm phenotype mediated by the fibronectin-binding proteins, FnBPA and FnBPB'. Journal of Bacteriology, 190 (11):3835-3850. [Details]
O'Gara, JP; (2007) 'ica and beyond: biofilm mechanisms and regulation in Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus'. FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, 270 :179-188. [Details]
O'Neill, E., Pozzi, C., Houston, P., Smyth, D., Humphreys, H., Robinson, D.A. and O'Gara J.P.; (2007) 'Association between methicillin susceptibility and biofilm regulation in Staphylococcus aureus isolates from device-related infections'. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 45 :1379-1388. [Details]
Handke, L. D., Slater, S.R., Conlon, K.M., O'Donnell, S.T., Olson, M.E., Bryant, K.A., Rupp, M.E., O'Gara, J.P. and Fey, P.D.; (2007) 'SigmaB and SarA independently regulate polysaccharide intercellular adhesin production in Staphylococcus epidermidis'. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, 53 :82-91. [Details]
Fitzpatrick, F., Humphreys, H., and O'Gara, J.P.; (2006) 'Environmental regulation of biofilm development in methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates'. JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 62 (1):120-122. [Details]
Fitzpatrick, F., Humphreys, H. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2005) 'Evidence for icaADBC -independent biofilm development in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates'. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 43 :1973-1976. [Details]
Fitzpatrick, F; Humphreys, H; O'Gara, JP; ; (2005) 'The genetics of staphylococcal biofilm formation-will a greater understanding of pathogenesis lead to better management of device-related infection?'. CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION, 11 (12):967-973. [Details]
Fitzpatrick, F., H. Humphreys, and J. P. O'Gara; (2005) 'Evidence for low temperature regulation of biofilm formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis'. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 54 :509-510. [Details]
Kennedy, C. A. and J. P. O'Gara; (2004) 'Contribution of culture media and chemical properties of polystyrene tissue culture plates to biofilm development by S. aureus'. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 51 :1171-1173. [Details]
Conlon, K. M., Humphreys, H. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2004) 'Inactivations of rsbU and sarA by IS 256 represent novel mechanisms of biofilm phenotypic variation in Staphylococcus epidermidis'. JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, 108 :6208-6219. [Details]
Handke, L. D., Conlon, K.M., Slater, S.R., Elbaruni, S., Fitzpatrick, F., Humphreys, H., Giles, W.P., Rupp, M.E., Fey, P.D. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2004) 'Genotypic and phenotypic analysis of biofilm phenotypic variation in multiple Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates'. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 53 :367-374. [Details]
Conlon, K. M., Humphreys, H. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2002) 'Regulation of icaR gene expression in Staphylococcus epidermidis '. FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, 216 :171-177. [Details]
Conlon, K. M., Humphreys, H. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2002) 'icaR encodes a transcriptional repressor involved in environmental regulation of ica operon expression and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis'. JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, 184 :4400-4408. [Details]
F. Fitzpatrick, H. Humphreys, E. Smyth, C. A. Kennedy and J. P. O'Gara. ; (2002) 'Environmental regulation of biofilm formation in intensive care unit isolates of Staphylococcus epidermidis'. JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 52 :212-218. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P. and Humphreys, H.; (2001) 'Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms: Importance and implications'. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, 50 :582-587. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P. and C.J. Dorman; (2000) 'Effects of local transcription and H-NS on inversion of the fim switch of Escherichia coli'. MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, 36 :457-466. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P., J.E. Eraso, and S. Kaplan; (1998) 'A redox responsive pathway for the aerobic regulation of photosynthesis gene expression in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1'. Journal of Bacteriology, 180 :4044-4050. [Details]
Zeilstra-Ryalls, J. Z., M. Gomelsky, J.E. Eraso, A.A. Yeliseev, J.P. O'Gara, and S. Kaplan. ; (1998) 'Oxygen regulation of photosystem formation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1'. Journal of Bacteriology, 180 :2801-2809. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P., M. Gomelsky, and S. Kaplan; (1997) 'Identification and molecular genetic analysis of multiple loci contributing to high-level tellurite resistance in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1'. Applied Environmental Microbiology, 63 :4713-4720. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P. and S. Kaplan; (1997) 'Evidence for the role of redox carriers in the regulation of photosynthesis gene expression and carotenoid biosynthesis in Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1'. Journal of Bacteriology, 179 :1951-1956. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P. and L.K. Dunican; (1995) 'Mutations in the trpD gene of Corynebacterium glutamicum confer 5-methyltryptophan resistance by encoding a feedback-resistant anthranilate phosphoribosyltransferase'. Applied Environmental Microbiology, 61 :4477-4479. [Details]
O'Gara, J. P. and L.K. Dunican. ; (1994) 'Direct evidence for a constitutive internal promoter in the tryptophan operon of Corynebacterium glutamicum'. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 230 :820-827. [Details]
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Conference Publications

O'Donnell, S.T., Lee, C.Y. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2006) Biofilm regulation by the AraC-type transcriptional regulator Rbf in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis International Symposium on Saphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections Maastricht, The Netherlands, , 03-SEP-06 - 06-SEP-06 [Details]

O'Gara, J.P; (2006) Regulatory pathways controlling the Staphylococcal biofilm phenotype Society for General Microbiology, Irish Branch Meeting Dublin, Ireland, , 27-APR-06 - 28-APR-06 [Details]

O'Neill, E., Pozzi, E., Houston, P., Smyth, D. Robinson, D.A., Humphreys, H. and O'Gara, J.P.; (2006) Evidence for ica-dependent and ica-independent biofilm mechanisms in methicillin susceptible and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates International Symposium on Saphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections Maastricht, The Netherlands, , 03-SEP-06 - 06-SEP-06 [Details]

Cotter, J.J., O'Gara J.P., Casey E.; (2006) Analysis of Staphylococcus epidermidis 1457 biofilm grown in a Rotating-Disk Reactor (RDR) under defined oxygen concentrations International Symposium on Staphylococci & Staphylococcal Infections Maastricht, The Netherlands, , 03-SEP-06 - 06-SEP-06 [Details]

O'Gara, J. P.; (2005) Biofilm regulation in Staphylococci Masaryk University Medical School Stomatology Research Conference Brno, Czech Republic, , 15-NOV-05 - 17-NOV-05 [Details]

Associations

Association: American Society for Microbiology, Function/Role: Member

Association: Society for General Microbiology, Function/Role: Member

Conference Contributions

O'Gara, J.P.; (2010) Novel roles for the major autolysin and the fibronectin binding proteins in promoting MRSA biofilm development. [Invited Oral Presentation], International Symposium on Staphylococci and Staphylococcal Infections (ISSSI), Bath, UK , 06-SEP-10 - 09-SEP-10.

O'Gara, JP; (2009) Is biofilm formation in staphylococci independent of c-di-GMP?. [Invited Oral Presentation], Eurobiofilms Congress, Rome, Italy , 02-SEP-09 - 05-SEP-09.

O'Gara, JP; (2008) A new role for the fibronectin binding proteins in promoting biofilm development in Staphylococcus aureus. [Invited Oral Presentation], International Union of Microbiological Societies Congress, Istanbul, Turkey , 05-AUG-08 - 09-AUG-08.

Committees

Committee : SBBS Postgraduate Education Committee (Chair)

Committee : SBBS School Executive Committee

Committee : College of Life Sciences Graduate School Board

Employment

Employer: University College Dublin
Position: Senior Lecturer

Employer: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Position: Senior Lecturer

Employer: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Position: College Lecturer

Employer: Trinity College Dublin
Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Microbiology

Employer: The University of Texas, Houston
Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics

Education

Year 1994 Institution: National University of Ireland, Galway
Qualification: PhD Subject: Microbiology

Internal Collaborators

Dr Eoin Casey, School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering
Dr Denis Dowling, School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering

External Collaborators

Prof. Tim Foster, Trinity College Dublin
Dr Paul D. Fey, University of Nebraska
Dr Eoghan O'Neill, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Prof. Hilary Humphreys, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Dr Mark Gomelsky, University of Wyoming

Dr Chia Lee, University of Arkansas

Dr Stephen Smith, St. James's Hospital, Trinity College Dublin.
Dr Ruth Massey, University of Bath
Dr D. Ashley Robinson, New York Medical College

Innovation Partners:

Citrox Biosciences (http://www.citrox.net)

Marvao Medical Devices (http://www.marvaomedical.com)

Holfeld Plastics (http://www.holfeldplastics.com)

Teaching Philosophy

MICR20040 The Microbial World

MICR20010 Agricultural Microbiology

MICR30070 Skills in Microbiology

BMOL30020 Mechanisms of Disease

MICR40030 Microbiology Research Project

MICR40040 Microbial Pathogenicity

Modules Coordinated

201100 MICR20010 Microbiology: Agricultural Microbiology

201100 MICR30070 Microbiology: Skills in Microbiology

201100 MICR40040 Microbiology: Microbial Pathogenicity