Balbina J. Plotkin, Ph.D.

My program of research broadly covers the areas of anaerobic tumor cell metabolism and microbiome polymicrobial and hormone interactions. My lab together with that of Dr. Sigar pioneered the method for growing mammalian cells in the complete absence of oxygen. This is an important breakthough since the center of tumors is anaerobic and preliminary findings indicate that the metabolic plasticity exemplified by anaerobic tumor cell growth also affects drug susceptibility. We are moving forward towards characterization of the pathways involved and correlating these with drug susceptibility towards the goal of identification of new cancer drug targets.

In addition to the mammalian cell work, as a Microbiologist I am also examining two facets of host pathogen interactions which my lab also pioneered, namely polymicrobial interactions and microbial response to human insulin. In the former, we developed a system that examines the role herpes simplex virus plays in regulation of microbiome initiation. In the latter, we defined the impact insulin has on the establishment of biofilms, such as those that can develop on teeth, in typanosomy tubes (middle ear infections) and replacement joints. In addition, the response of these biofilms to antibiotic treatments is also determined.