Casey Theriot, PhD

Research Summary

Casey Theriot is an Assistant Professor in Infectious Disease at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Her past research experiences have spanned the fields of protein biochemistry, molecular microbiology, microbial ecology, metabolomics, bacterial physiology, and pathogenesis. Her research is multidisciplinary and collaborative, bridging basic research with translational research. Her postdoctoral research training focused on exploring the interplay between the gastrointestinal tract microbiota and the pathogen C. difficile. Her research has shown that antibiotics disrupt the indigenous gut microbiota reducing resistance to C. difficile colonization. Her broad research career goal is to understand the complex interactions among the gastrointestinal microbiota, pathogens, and the host. Her work currently focused on characterizing these mechanisms with respect to antibiotic usage. To accomplish her research goals she integrates data obtained from high-throughput methods that analyze the gastrointestinal microbiome, metabolome and host immune responses in animal models and human biological specimens to model these interactions.

Relevance of Research to CGIBD Mission:  Dr. Theriot’s research concerns C. difficile. C. difficile infection (CDI) is the leading cause of antibiotic-associated colitis, and is responsible for significant morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare costs. Her research focus on the role of microbes in human disease fits well with the mission of the CGIBD.

CGIBD Focus Area(s):  Microbiome

Pilot and Feasibility Award 2015 

Collaborators:  Lanzas, Tamayo