Antibiotic Resistance

Increasing worldwide incidence of antibiotic resistance poses a serious threat to public health. Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are available to comment on antibiotic resistance, including antimicrobial stewardship, efforts to develop new antimicrobials and antibiotic use in pets and livestock.

Stephen Cole

Post-doctoral Fellow in Clinical and Molecular Microbiology.
School of Veterinary Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Cole’s research interests include antimicrobial therapy and selection, infectious diseases, clinical bacteriology and microbiology.



Ashley Berke | 215-898-1475 | berke@vet.upenn.edu


Sherrill Davison

Associate Professor of Avian Medicine and Pathology, Laboratory Director, Laboratory of Avian Medicine and Pathology, New Bolton Center, and agriculture spokesperson.
School of Veterinary Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Davison’s areas of expertise include the Veterinary Feed Directive, avian medicine and pathology and epidemiology of infectious diseases of poultry.



Ashley Berke | 215-898-1475 | berke@vet.upenn.edu


Brendan Kelly

Instructor in the Division of Infectious Diseases.
Perelman School of Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Kelly’s research focuses on antibiotic use, antimicrobial resistance, hospital-acquired infections and C. difficile infections.



Johanna Harvey | 215-349-8062 | johanna.harvey@uphs.upenn.edu


Ebbing Lautenbach

Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Robert Austrian Professor.
Perelman School of Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Lautenbach’s research focuses on antibiotic use, antimicrobial resistance, outbreak investigation and epidemiologic methods in the study of infectious diseases. He is also the co-principal investigator of the Penn-CHOP U.S. Centers for Disease Control and CDC Prevention Epicenter, one of 10 academic medical centers to be designated as a CDC Prevention Epicenter site. Dr. Lautenbach can speak to what’s happening with the current flu outbreak, particularly with regard to vaccines. 



Johanna Harvey | 215-349-8062 | johanna.harvey@uphs.upenn.edu


Shelley Rankin

Associate Professor of Microbiology.
School of Veterinary Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Rankin’s areas of expertise include antibiotic resistance, One Health, microbiology, molecular epidemiology and bacterial pathogens.



Ashley Berke | 215-898-1475 | berke@vet.upenn.edu


Thomas Sollecito

Professor and Chairman in the Department of Oral Medicine.
School of Dental Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

As a specialist in the field of oral medicine, Dr. Sollecito addresses oral health care of medically complex patients, including the diagnosis and management of medical conditions that affect the oral and maxillofacial region. These conditions include oral mucosal diseases, orofacial pain disorders, temporomandibular disorders, salivary gland disease, oral complications resulting from systemic disease and chemosensory and neurologic impairment of the oral and maxillofacial complex. Sollecito has a particular interest in cancer research and how oral health impacts cancer patients.



Beth Adams | 215-573-8224 | adamsnb@pobox.upenn.edu


Julia Szymczak

Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Senior Scholar in the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Perelman School of Medicine.
University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Szymczak is a medical sociologist who specializes in the social and cultural dynamics of health-care work. Her research interests include infection prevention, antimicrobial stewardship, organizations, patient safety, quality improvement and implementation science. Her work focuses on understanding why change in health care is difficult and on the socio-adaptive factors that shape efforts to improve the quality of medical care.



Johanna Harvey | 215-349-8062 | johanna.harvey@uphs.upenn.edu