Melissa B. Miller, PhD Associate Professor Office: 919-966-3723 E-mail: mbmiller@unch.unc.edu

Research Interests

My research interests include the use of molecular methodologies to understand the basis of clinical treatment failures and inaccurate laboratory diagnoses with regard to infectious diseases. As the Director of the Molecular Microbiology Laboratory for UNC Hospitals, I am interested in the use of real-time PCR to develop more accurate, cost-effective and timely laboratory tests. Many of these clinical assays are used as research tools to address specific infectious disease questions, such as the prevalence and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. In addition, I am interested in the genetic analysis and epidemiology of community-associated MRSA.

Selected Publications

J.S. Goodrich and M.B. Miller. Comparison of culture and two real-time PCR assays to detect group B Streptococcus during antepartum screening. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 2007; in press (available online 16 May 2007).

M.B. Miller. Molecular Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases. NC Med J, March/April 2007; 68(2):115-118.

J.S. Goodrich and M.B. Miller. Comparison of Cepheid’s analyte specific reagents with BD Directigen™ for detection of respiratory syncytial virus. J. Clin. Microbiol., 2007; 45:604-606.

D.C. Zedek and M.B. Miller. Use of galactomannan enzyme immunoassay for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in a tertiary-care center over a 12-month period. J. Clin. Microbiol., 2006; 44:1601.

M.S. Muhlebach, M.B. Miller, J.P. Wedd, C. Moore, A.F. Drake, M.W. Leigh. Are lower airway or throat cultures predictive of sinus bacteriology in cystic fibrosis? Pediatric Pulmonology, 2006; 41:445-451.

S. Dua, W. Chalermskultat, M.B. Miller, M. Landers, R.M. Aris. Bilateral Pseudomonas endopthalmitis after lung transplantation. Am. J. Transplant., 2006; 6:219-224.

M.B. Miller, H. Meyer, E. Rogers, and P.H. Gilligan. Comparison of Susceptibility Testing, PBP2a Latex Detection, and mecA Real-Time PCR for the Detection of Oxacillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. J. Clin. Microbiol., 2005; 43:3450-2.

M.B. Miller, R. Hendren, and P.H. Gilligan. Post-transplantation disseminated coccidioidomycosis acquired from donor lungs. J Clin. Microbiol., 2004; 42:2347-2349.

M.B. Miller, S.L. Allen, M.E. Mangum, A. Doutova, and P.H. Gilligan. The prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus in prenatal screening cultures. J Clin. Microbiol., 2004; 42:855-857.

Melissa B. Miller and Peter H. Gilligan. 2003. Laboratory aspects of management of chronic pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis, J Clin. Microbiol. 41:4009-15.