Dr Jim O'Gara B.Sc., PhD.
Contact Details
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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. 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 : 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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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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] |
| 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] |
| 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] |
| 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] |
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
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] |
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| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] |
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| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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. 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| O'Gara, JP; (2007) 'ica and beyond: biofilm mechanisms and regulation in Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus'. FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, 270 :179-188. [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., 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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] | |||||||||
| 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'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'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'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
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External Collaborators
Innovation Partners: Citrox Biosciences (http://www.citrox.net) Marvao Medical Devices (http://www.marvaomedical.com) Holfeld Plastics (http://www.holfeldplastics.com) |
Teaching Interests
| MICR20040 The Microbial World MICR20010 Agricultural Microbiology MICR30070 Skills in Microbiology BMOL30020 Mechanisms of Disease MICR40030 Microbiology Research Project MICR40040 Microbial Pathogenicity |
Recent Postgraduates
Co-supervised PhD students Dr Maria Boyle (PhD, 2007) (Co-supervisor with Dr K. McGuigan, RCSI); Dr Niall Stevens (PhD, 2008) (Co-supervisor with Prof H. Humphreys and Dr C. Greene, RCSI) Dr John Cotter (PhD, 2009) (Co-supervisor with Dr E. Casey, UCD) Current Postgraduate Students:
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Modules Taught
| 201000 MICR40040 Microbiology: Microbial Pathogenicity |
| 201000 MICR20040 Microbiology: The Microbial World |
| 201000 MICR30070 Microbiology: Skills in Microbiology |