Laura Nistico, Ph.D. CV

We are part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System

Laura Nistico, Ph.D.

Education

B.S. Biology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy, 1984

Ph.D. Microbiology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy, 1988

Research Interests

I am interested in the different strategies that bacteria use to change their mode of growth from planktonic growth to growing in biofilms. Biofilm formation is involved in several human infections, including medical device-related infections. Biofilm infections are difficult to eradicate because bacteria growing in biofilms are very resistent to antibiotics. For this reason we are using many different techniques to grow pathogenic biofilms in vitro and in vivo and image biofilms in situ using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy.

Current Projects

Pathogenic Biofilms
Confocal Microscopic Imaging

Professional Memberships

Enlisted in National Order of Biologist, Italy, 1985

Publications

Stroffolini T, Giammanco A, De Crescenzo L, Lupo F, Nicosia V, Torres G, Valenza AR, Cascio A, Taormina S, Nistico L, et al. Prevalence of pertussis IgG antibiodies in children in Palermo, Italy. Infection 17;5:280-283, Sep-Oct 1989.

Stoodley P, Kathju S, Hu FZ, Erdos G, Levenson JE, Mehta N, Dice B, Johnson S, Hall-Stoodley L, Nistico L, Sotereanos N, Sewecke J, Post JC, Ehrlich GD. Molecular and imaging techniques for bacterial biofilms in joint arthroplasty infections. Clin Orthop 437:31-40, 2005.

Shen K, Gladitz J, Antalis P, Dice B, Janto B, Keefe R, Hayes J, Ahmed A, Dopico R, Ehrlich N, Jocz J, Kropp L, Yu S, Nistico L, Greenberg DP, Barbadora K, Preston RA, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Hu FZ. Characterization, distribution and expression of novel genes among eight clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infect Immun 74;1;321-330, 2006.

Hall-Stoodley L, Hu FZ, Gieseke A, Nistico L, Nguyen D, Hayes J, Forbes M, Greenberg DP, Dice B, Burrows A, Wackym PA, Stoodley P, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Kerschner JE. Direct detection of bacterial biofilms on the middle-ear mucosa of children with chronic otitis media. JAMA 296;2:202-211, 2006.

Post JC, Hiller NL, Nistico L, Stoodley P, Ehrlich GD. The role of biofilms in otolaryngologic infections: Update 2007. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 15;5:347-351, 2007.

Stoodley P, Longwell M, Nguyen D, Nistico L, von Ohle C. Effect of powered brushing on fluoride delivery through Streptococcus mutans biofilms. Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry, 28(9 Suppl 1):15-22, 2007.

Stoodley P, Nistico L, Johnson S, Lasko LA, Baratz M, Gahlot V, Ehrlich GD, Kathju S. Direct demonstration of viable Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in an infected total joint arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg Am 90:1751-1758, 2008.

Hall-Stoodley L, Nistico L, Sambanthamoorthy K, Dice B, Nguyen D, Mershon WJ, Johnson C, Hu FZ, Stoodley P, Ehrlich GD, Post JC. Characterization of biofilm matrix, degradation by DNase treatment and evidence of capsule downregulation in Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates. BMC Microbiol 8:173, 2008.

Nistico L, Gieseke A, Stoodley P, Hall-Stoodley L, Kerschner JE, Ehrlich GD. Fluorescence “in situ” hybridization for the detection of biofilm in the middle ear and upper respiratory tract mucosa. Methods Mol Biol 493:191-213, 2009.

Hoa M Tomovic S, Nistico L, Hall-Stoodley L, Stoodley P, Sachdeva L, Berk R, Coticchia JM. Identification of adenoid biofilms with middle ear pathogens in otitis-prone children utilizing SEM and FISH. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 73(9):1242-1248, 2009.

Kathju S, Lasko LA, Nistico L, Colella JJ, Stoodley P. Cutaneous fistula from the gastric remnant resulting from a chronic suture-associated biofilm infection. Obes Surg [Epub ahead of print], 2009.

Kathju S, Nistico L, Hall-Stoodley L, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P. Chronic surgical site infection due to suture-associated polymicrobial biofilm. Surg Infect 10(5):457-461, 2009.

Stoodley P, Braxton EE, Nistico L, Hall-Stoodley L, Johnson S, Quigley M, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Kathju S. Direct demonstration of a Staphylococcus biofilm in an external ventricular drain in a patient with a history of recurrent ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure. Surg Neurol, Accepted, 2010.

Posters

Stoodley L, Levenson J, Dice B, Mehta NS, Stoodley P, Hu F, Nistico L, Antalis P, Ehrlich N, Hayes J, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Erdos G. The use of Pseudomonas aeruginosa fluorescent protein reporter vectors for the investigation of biofilm formation (poster). Annual ARO Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2005.

von Ohle C, Gieseke A, Nistico L, Nguyen D, Decker E, Stoodley P . Microsensor measurements of metabolic activities (O2, pH) inside dental biofilms. IADR Pan European Federation 2006, Dublin, Ireland, September 13-16, 2006.

Nistico L, Hall-Stoodley L, Stoodley P, Gieseke A, Coticchia JM, Baratz M, Kathju S, Kerschner JE, Liu Y, Post JC, Ehrlich GD. Imaging biofilm in clinical samples. ASM Biofilms (poster), Quebec City, Canada, March 25-29, 2007.

Hall-Stoodley L, Mehta A, Mehta A, Nistico L, Nguyen D, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P. A novel method for 3D visualization and quantification of the biofilm slime matrix reveals complex tertiary structures. 107^th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (poster), Toronto, Canada, May 21-25, 2007.

Hall-Stoodley L, Nistico L, Nguyen D, Hayes J, Hu FZ, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P. Clinically relevant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae form biofilms and exhibit variability in the extent of polysaccharide matrix production and resistance to antibiotics. 107^th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (poster), Toronto, Canada, May 21-25, 2007.

Nistico L, Gieseke A, Coticchia JM, Burrows A, Khampang P, Kerschner JE, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P, Hall-Stoodley L. Localization of upper respiratory pathogens in pediatric adenoids exhibits biofilm formation. 107^th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (poster), Toronto, Canada, May 21-25, 2007.

von Ohle C, Gieseke A, Nistico L, Nguyen D, Decker E, Ehrlich G, Stoodley P. Microsensor measurements of local metabolic activity in ex vivo dental biofilms treated with chlorhexidine. ASM Biofilms (poster), Quebec City, Canada, March 25-29, 2007.

Sambanthamoorthy K, Stoodley P, Hall-Stoodley L, Nistico L, Longwell M, Hu F, Kathju S, Mehta N, Post JC, Ehrlich GD. Microbial biofilm research at the Center for Genomic Sciences (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

Nistico L, Hall-Stoodley L, Stoodley P, Gieseke A, Coticchia J, Baratz M, Kathju S, Kerschner JE, Liu Y, Post JC, Ehrlich GD. Imaging biofilm in clinical samples (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

Hillman T, Gahlot V, Stoodley P, Nistico L, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Labib M, Davidson T, Stoodley P. Biofilm polymicrobial infection-resistant implant for otologic application (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

Hall-Stoodley L, Mehta A, Mehta A, Nistico L, Nguyen D, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P. A novel method for 3D visualization and quantification of the biofilm slime matrix reveals complex tertiary structures (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

Lasko LA, Stoodley P, Nistico L, Hall-Stoodley L, Johnson S, Baratz M, Gahlot V, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Kathju S. Biofilms in orthopedic joint implant infection: in vitro and in vivo studies (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

Hall-Stoodley L, Nistico L, Hayes J, Hu FZ, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P. Clinically relevant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae form biofilms and exhibit variability in the extent of polysaccharide matrix production and resistance to antibiotics (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

West A, Mather M, Boucek A, Nistico L, Johnson S, Carabin L, Hall-Stoodley L, Ehrlich GD, Post JC, Stoodley P, Kathju S. Biofilm formation on surgical sutures and mesh as a source of persistent infection (poster). Drexel Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 3, 2007.

Longwell M, Nistico L, Gieseke A, DeBeer D, von Ohle C, Aspiras M, deJager M, Stoodley P. The Use of Microelectrodes to measure physiological activity and fluoride penetration into model and ex situ dental biofilms. Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2008.

Nistico L, Gieseke A, Burrows A, Khampang P, Johnson S, Lonergan S, Kerschner JE, Post JC, Ehrlich GD, Stoodley P, Hall-Stoodley L. Pediatric adenoids ecology and otitis media: is biofilm formation the linkage? Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2008.

Grande R, Nistico L, Sambanthamoorthy K, Iannitelli A, Cellini L, Di Stefano A, Hall-Stoodley L, Stoodley P. Staphylococcus aureus UAMS1 biofilm development over time: Role of eDNA and carbohydrates in the biofilm structure. Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 15, 2008.

Longwell M, Hall-Stoodley L, Nistico L, Gieseke A, DeBeer D, Aspiras M, deJager M, Stoodley P. Development of a typodont biofilm model to measure the effect of powered brushing on fluoride delivery and biofilm removal. Discovery Day, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, October 7, 2009.

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