02/10/2025
By Kwok Fan Chow

The Kennedy College of Science, Department of Chemistry, invites you to attend a Ph.D. Research Proposal defense by Chani Sahabandu Hewa Sahabanduge entitled “Personalized Azithromycin Dose Determination Using Combined Untargeted and Target Metabolomics to Mitigate Antibiotic Resistance.”

Degree: Doctoral
Location: Olney Hall, Room 518
Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Time: 1 p.m.

Committee Chair:
Pengyuan Liu, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Committee Members:
Dhimiter Bello, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical & Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Jin Xu, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Michael B. Ross, Ph.D., Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:
Antibiotic resistance is one of the main challenges related to human health. Though the introduction of new antibiotics against resistant strains is the best option to tackle this problem, the invention of new antibiotics is a time-consuming, hard task. As another option to mitigate this problem, we can avoid or minimize the possible reasons that cause antibiotic resistivity. In this regard, personalized antibiotic doses have great potential to provide a better solid answer. Furthermore, Azithromycin (AZM) is one of the most prescribed antibiotics in the United States. Similar to other antibiotics, the emergence of AZM-resistant strains is a major burning issue related to this drug. Considering these facts, in this research proposal, we are aiming to present the use of combined untargeted and targeted metabolomics analysis pipeline to determine the personalized AZM dose to overcome dose-related antibiotic resistivity.

This research study will be conducted under two main aims; aim 1: identification of potential biomarkers using untargeted metabolomics and aim 2: personalized AZM dose determination relevant to the biomarkers’ concentration and model validation comparing the personalized approach with the traditional approach. A bacterial-infected human model as well as a bacterial-infected rat model will be used in the suggested experiment procedure.

The implementation of personalized dosing regimens for the antibiotics specifically for the well-established known drugs is not an easy task. Moreover, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered prior to determining the exact antibiotic dose for individuals at the clinical level. However, it is worth demonstrating the applicability of such applications at the laboratory level, as both personalized medicine and metabolomics have been progressively applied in various applications related to day-to-day life.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.