Rosenberg Lab

Overview

The Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital uses cutting-edge methods to diagnosis infectious diseases of humans. Although classical microbiology has undergone transformative changes resulting in faster and more accurate diagnoses, there remains a critical need to further improve our diagnostic capability directly from primary specimens. To do this, my laboratory is involved in the development of novel methods to detect volatile organic compounds directly from primary specimens. If successful, this approach may speed up the time to diagnosis, which usually takes several days, to only taking several minutes.

In addition, there are several other longstanding projects that we are investigating, including:

1. The diagnosis of acute HIV-1 infection and the immunologic and virologic correlates of immune protection in persons treated during primary HIV infection
2. The diagnosis of tick-borne illness and understanding the biology of human babesiosis and Lyme disease

Selected Publications

Lemieux JE, Tran A, Freimark L, Schaffner SF, Goethert H, Anderson KG, Bazner S, Li A, McGrath G, Sloan L, Vannier E, Milner D, Pritt B, Rosenberg ES*, Teleford S*, Bailey JA*, Sabeti PC*. A global map of genetic diversity in Babesia microti reveals strong population structure and identifies variants associated with clinical relapse. Nature Microbiology. 2016; Vol 1: article number 16079.

Buzon MJ, Martin-Gayo E, Pereyra F, Ouyang Z, Sun H, Li JZ, Piovoso M, Shaw A, Dalmau J, Zangger N, Martinez- Picado J, Zurakowski R, Yu XG, Telenti A, Walker BD, Rosenberg ES, Lichterfeld Long-term antiretroviral treatment initiated at primary HIV-1 infection affects the size, composition, and decay kinetics of the reservoir of HIV-1-infected CD4 T cells. Journal of Virology. 2014; 88(17):10056-65.

CLSI. Criteria for Laboratory Testing and Diagnosis of HIV Infection; Approved Guideline. CLSI document M53-A. Wayne, PA: Chair Holder: Rosenberg, ES. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute; 2011.

Detection of HIV gp120 in plasma during early HIV infection is associated with increased proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokines. Rychert J, Strick D, Bazner S, Robinson J, Rosenberg ES. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2010 Oct;26(10):1139-45.