Date: July 9–10, 2025
Venue: Online
Organized by: Impact Research Communications
The two-day symposium brought together global experts to explore the evolving landscape of Staphylococcus aureus infections—from molecular mechanisms and antibiotic resistance to host-pathogen interactions and vaccine development. The discussions were rich with innovation, clinical relevance, and translational promise.
The symposium opened with a groundbreaking plenary by Dr. Richard P. Novick from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who unveiled the Antibacterial Drone (ABD) platform—a repurposed phage-like particle derived from SaPIs, engineered to deliver lethal genetic payloads to S. aureus. Armed with CRISPR/cas9 targeting agrA, the ABD demonstrated potent therapeutic efficacy in murine models of abscesses, pneumonia, and biofilm infections. Notably, the platform overcame restriction barriers in clinical isolates through genome synthesis, marking a new frontier in precision antimicrobials.
Dr. Dane Parker from Rutgers then explored themetabolic underpinnings of antibiotic tolerance in S. aureus isolates from cystic fibrosis patients. His team identified oxidative phosphorylation and cardiolipin-mediated membrane charge alterations as key drivers of reduced antibiotic uptake. Mutations in ndhB2 and ctaA conferred gentamicin tolerance, offering new targets for therapeutic intervention in chronic lung infections.
Continuing the theme of metabolic adaptation, Dr. Joanne Hobbs from the University of St Andrews presented her work on Prs-mediated tolerance. A mutation in PRPP synthetase led to reduced enzymatic activity, lower nucleotide pools, and multidrug tolerance—yet retained virulence in vivo. Her findings underscore the clinical relevance of genotypic tolerance and its implications for persistent infections.
Dr. Wendy Mok from the University of Connecticut delved into fluoroquinolone persisters, revealing that S. aureus cells surviving antibiotic treatment rely on DNA repair for resuscitation. Nutrient availability post-treatment modulated recovery, highlighting a window for therapeutic disruption of persister revival.
Dr. Carmen Torres from the University of La Rioja provided a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of SSTI in pediatric patients in Spain, identifying CC121 as an emerging lineage enriched with mupirocin and fusidic acid resistance genes. Her longitudinal data revealed a shift in clonal dominance, with implications for treatment and surveillance.
Dr. Nathan Archer from Johns Hopkins uncovered a novel mechanism by which superantigens suppress sebaceous gland function,facilitating S. aureus colonization in atopic dermatitis. His findings suggest that targeting sebaceous gland pathways could offer new therapeutic strategies for inflammatory skin diseases.
Dr. Morgan Severn from Duke University examined age-related immune responses to S. aureus skin infections. Using microneedle patch sampling, her team identified diminished T cell recruitment in aged skin, revealing subtle immunological differences that may influence infection outcomes.
Dr. Tania Wong Fok Lung from Rutgers highlighted the role of fumarate metabolism in MRSA pneumonia, showing that S. aureus activates FumC to overcome metabolic bottlenecks in inflamed lungs. Her isotope tracing studies linked fumarate utilization to biofilm formation and persistence, with itaconate further potentiating FumC activity.
Dr. Xiaogang Wang from Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine discussed membrane vesicles (MVs) as hidden communicators in S. aureus infections. His team found that MVs package immunostimulatory nucleic acids and possess unique surface charges, influencing host-pathogen interactions and immune activation.
Dr. William Schwan from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse introduced the BrpR/BrpS LytTR system, a novel regulatory pathway influencing biofilm formation and competence. His transcriptomic analysis revealed broad gene regulation tied to metabolic and structural pathways, offering insights into persister emergence.
Dr. Shafi Azam from the University of Chicago presented his discovery of PepV, a peptidase involved in coordinating septal peptidoglycan synthesis and protein anchoring. Loss of PepV disrupted cell division and mislocalized PBPs, revealing new layers of spatial regulation in S. aureus cell wall biogenesis.
Day two began with Dr. Anita Campbell from The KIDS Research Institute in Australia, who introduced SNAP-PY, a whole-of-life clinical trial platform for pediatric S. aureus infections. Her talk emphasized the need for evidence-based antibiotic strategies and community engagement through participatory research.
Dr. Xiaolei Wang from the University of Hong Kong presented a moonlighting protein vaccine targeting the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2 subunit (PDHC). The vaccine induced robust, antibody-independent immunity mediated by γδ T cells—even in previously exposed hosts—offering a promising serotype-independent candidate against MRSA.
Dr. Heather Felgate from Quadram Institute Bioscience shed light on the diversity of non-aureus Staphylococci (NAS), often overlooked in clinical settings. Her GWAS approach identified pathogenicity-linked genes in NAS strains, particularly those implicated in neonatal sepsis, challenging assumptions about commensalism.
Dr. George Sakoulas from UC San Diego explored the beta-lactam and peptide antibiotic see-saw, showing that targeting both cell wall and membrane components enhances potency and reduces resistance. His insights into host-derived antimicrobial peptides and their interplay with pharmaceutical agents call for a more integrated therapeutic approach.
Dr. Vinai C. Thomas from the University of Nebraska Medical Center discussed Spx-mediated thiol homeostasis, revealing how S. aureus uses bacillithiol and redox switches to survive oxidative stress. His work highlights the pathogen’s adaptability and potential vulnerabilities under disulfide stress.
Dr. Julia Sharp from Old Dominion University emphasized the value of clinical isolates in therapeutic development. Her library of over 100 community-associated S. aureus strains, complete with genomic and clinical metadata, offers a rich resource for studying immune evasion and host-pathogen dynamics.
Dr. Prahathees Eswara from the University of South Florida presented his work on GpsB phosphorylation, showing how phosphoregulation alters partner interactions and cell envelope biogenesis. His mutational studies revealed critical phosphosites that fine-tune GpsB activity during the cell cycle.
Dr. Luis Longoria-Gonzalez from the University of Oklahoma investigated pore-forming toxins in endophthalmitis, demonstrating that alpha-toxin plays a dominant role in retinal damage. His murine model revealed that deletion of all PFTs improved outcomes, suggesting therapeutic targeting of Hla could mitigate ocular infections.
Dr. Meta Kuehn from Duke University explored extracellular vesicle-mediated immune interactions, showing that S. aureus EVs stimulate IFN-β via TLRs and possess unique surface properties that influence environmental stability and host engagement.
Finally, Dr. Zachary Van Roy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center closed the symposium with a compelling study on neurosurgical biofilm infections, revealing granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells and HIF-driven immune dysfunction in craniotomy-associated infections. His multi-modal approach—from clinical records to single-cell transcriptomics—highlighted the spatial and metabolic complexity of biofilm persistence.
The symposium showcased the remarkable breadth of Staphylococcus aureus research—from molecular engineering and vaccine innovation to clinical epidemiology and host-pathogen interplay. With contributions spanning continents and disciplines, the event reinforced the urgency and promise of collaborative efforts to combat staphylococcal infections in an era of rising resistance.
Australia, Austria, Catania, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Nigeria, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Kingdom, USA.