Member Institutions:

• Bowling Green State U.
• Cleveland State U.
• Kent State U.
• Medical College of Ohio
• Miami U.
• The Ohio State U.
• Ohio U.
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Toledo
• Wright State U.
• Youngstown State U.

Research Interests

The research of our laboratory is focused on three areas of applied microbiology. First, we are actively testing novel antibiotic combinations and drug delivery systems to produce a long-term antibiotic delivery system for controlling bacterial infections, especially those mediated by otherwise antibiotic-resistant pathogens. We have have reported on the release of tetracycline from human fibrin, a natural, resorbable, hemostatic biopolymer, to inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus. (Image one is a scanning electron micrograph of tetracycline encapsulated by fibrin, 170X.)

We have been able to manipulate the release kinetics of antibiotics and evaluate antibiotic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. Using a modified agar disk diffusion assay, we can screen potential antibiotic candidates. The antibiotics can then be tested in a relevant model of human infection. (Image 2 is a photograph of the agar diffusion technique using norfloxicin delivered from fibrin in increasing concentrations, left to right.)

Second, we study the effects of bacterial cell wall polymers (CWPs) on the activation and subsequent disregulation of the mammalian immune system. We have previously reported on the inflammatory effects of bacterial cell wall polymers and continue to evaluate the hypothesis that specific fragments of peptioglycan have varying pro- and anti- inflammatory potentials. We are poised to investigate similar CWP disregulation of the cardiovascular system. Our interest is the effect of bacterial CWPs on blood pressure regulation and cardiac tone.

Third, a new and exciting endeavor for our lab is the development of a rapid and reliable method for the detection of microbial pathogens. To this end, we have forged a strong collaboration with colleagues at the North Eastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine to design a system which will detect extremely low numbers of pathogens and/or their toxins, amplify the signal and thus alert bystanders of the potential biohazard in real time.

Additionally, in the field of pedagogical research, we have been exploring the various mechanisms of expanding the traditional teaching and learning strategies in the disciplines of microbiology and immunology. One application of this endeavor is the Microbiology Learning Center Web Site. Follow the link to explore its potential.

Selected Publications

• Woolverton, C.J., R.W. Veltri, and I.S. Snyder. 1986. Stimulation of Human PMNs In vitro by a Succinimide Molecular Complex of Methylfurylbutyrolactone. Journal of Biological Response Modifiers 5:527-538.
• Woolverton, C.J., J.J. White, and R.B. Sartor. 1989. Intestinal Vascular Permeability Induced by Intravenous Peptidoglycan-polysaccharide Polymers. Agents and Actions 26:301-310.
• Woolverton, C.J. Lisa C. Holt, Deborah Mitchell, and R.B. Sartor. 1992. Isolation and Characterization of Rat Intestinal Lamina Propria cells: Consequences of Bacterial Colonization. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 34:127-138.
• Woolverton, C.J., L.C. Holt and R.B. Sartor. 1994. Oral Peptidoglycan-polysaccharide Stimulates Systemic Immunocompetency in Germ Free Mice. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 7:183-190.
• Woolverton, C.J., C.L. Bryson, P.A Redshaw and A. Paquet, Jr. 1994. Immunomodulating Activities of Sodium-Dodecyl-Sulfate Extracted Antigens from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Serotype b. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, 7:275-282.
• Woolverton C.J., M. Singh, R. Brady W. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1995. Antibiotic Release from Fibrin Sealant. Controlled Release of Bioactive Materials 22:750-751.
• Woolverton, C.J., M. Singh, W. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1996. Long-term Antibiotic Release from Fibrin Sealant. Proceedings of the International Cambridge Symposia on Tissue Sealants: Current Practice, Future Uses. La Jolla, CA. Invited Presentation.
• Woolverton, C.J., W.N. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1997. Antibiotic Release from Fibrin: Delivery Kinetics and Bioactivity. Proceedings of the Second International Antibacterial Drug Discovery Summit. Princeton, NJ.
• Woolverton, C.J., W.N. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1997. Antibiotics Delivered in Fibrin Subvert Bacterial Resistance. Abstracts of the XVIth Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Florence, Italy. Thrombosis and Haemostasis (Supplement), p. 371. Invited Presentation.
• Woolverton, C.J. K.R. Finer, D. Gerbig, C. Hanousek, A. Leff and C.E. Wickstrom, 1998. The Microbiology Learning Center: A Web-based Resource. Abstracts of the 98th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Atlanta, GA. Invited Presentation.
• Woolverton, C.J., 1998. Teaching Microbiology with a Little Help from the Web. Focus on Microbiology Education 5:1-3.
• Woolverton, C.J., W. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1998. Antibiotics Delivered from Fibrin Overcome Antibiotic Resistance. Proceedings of the 3rd Annual International Cambridge Healthtech Symposia on Emerging Applications of Tissue Sealants. San Diego, CA. Invited Presentation.
• Woolverton, C.J., W. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1998. Control of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria with Low Solubility Antibiotics in Fibrin Sealant. Proceedings of the European Cambridge Healthtech Symposia on Emerging Applications of Tissue Sealants. Lisbon, Portugal. Invited Presentation.
• Miekka, S.I., T. Jameson, M. Singh, C. Woolverton, II-M. Lin, R. Krajcik, M. MacPhee and W. N. Drohan, 1998. Novel Delivery Systems for Coagulation Proteins. Hemophilia. 4:436-442.
• Woolverton, C.J., K. Huebert, B. Burkhart and M. MacPhee, 1999. Subverting Bacterial Resistance Using High Dose, Low Solubility Antibiotics in Fibrin. Infection 27:28-33.
• Woolverton, C.J. W. N. Drohan and M. MacPhee, 1999. Infection Control using Low Solubility Antibiotics in Fibrin Sealant. Proceedings of the Plasma Product Biotechnology Meeting. Queensland, Australia. Invited Presentation.
• Woolverton, C.J. and J. Liliestedt, 1999. Identification and Quantitation of Bacteria in Emergency Eyewash Bottles used in Science Laboratories. American Biology Teacher 61:372-375.
• Woolverton, C.J, 1999. Use of Veterinary Records to Teach Laboratory Thinking Skills in Biology. American Biology Teacher 61:444-447.

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