Wadsworth Center trainees and investigators made a strong showing at the 2026 Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phages meeting (“Phages”), held August 3-7 at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The annual conference is a premier national forum for researchers studying bacterial and phage biology at the molecular level, with a distinctive emphasis on trainee-led presentations. Trainees from the Paczkowski, Gray, and Wade laboratories delivered oral presentations that highlighted the breadth and quality of research in the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Genetics. Their work collectively demonstrated how bacteria use precise, context-dependent molecular mechanisms to regulate communication, competition, and gene expression.
- Caleb Mallery (Paczkowski Lab) described a self-limiting feedback mechanism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing. His findings show that the regulator RhlR initiates production of proteins that later degrade it – an “off-switch” that helps balance signaling and bacterial fitness.
- Kass Sjostrom (Gray Lab) presented research on how mycobacteria deploy ESX secretion systems only during contact with non-kin cells. The work identifies a gatekeeper role for the repressor protein EspM, coupling activation of this competitive response to direct encounters with rival cells.
- Kerry Brown (Wade Lab) detailed a distinct mechanism of translation control in mycobacteria. The work focused on short upstream open reading frames, termed “SCULL ORFs,” which help direct ribosomes to downstream genes in leaderless messenger RNAs.
The Wadsworth Center was further represented by Principal Investigator Jon Paczkowski and poster presenters from the Ojha, Paczkowski, Wade, Owen, and Ghosh laboratories. Their research spanned bacterial communication and signaling, promoter architecture, ribosome hibernation, mycobacterial stress adaptation, plasmid conjugation, and antibiotic-resistance mechanisms. The Center’s visibility at Phages reflects the strength of its trainee development pipeline and the national relevance of its research in microbial genetics, bacterial physiology, and antimicrobial resistance.