University of Virginia-Main Campus · Microbiology & ImmunologyThe Gonorrhea Resistance Lab
Alison K Criss · Charlottesville, Virginia
Research Focus
Dr. Alison K. Criss's lab at the University of Virginia investigates how the gonorrhea-causing bacteria, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, evade the immune response, specifically focusing on white blood cells known as neutrophils. Given the rising antibiotic resistance of this bacterium, the lab aims to uncover the mechanisms that allow it to persist and survive in the human body. Their research may lead to new therapeutic targets to combat drug-resistant gonorrhea, contributing to better public health strategies.
Neisseria gonorrhoeaegonorrheaantibiotic resistanceneutrophilimmune evasion
Research Aims
3AIM 01Define how C4BP binding to Neisseria gonorrhoeae blocks neutrophil phagocytosis.
AIM 02Delineate how sialylated gonorrhea bacteria exploit Siglec interactions to inhibit neutrophil activation.
AIM 03Investigate heterogeneity in neutrophil functions and gene expression profiles during gonorrhea infection.
Skills the Lab Values
flow cytometrycell cultureRNA sequencingbacterial culturingmass spectrometry
Output against the department
Publications91bottom 30% of dept.336th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations3.2kbottom 24% of dept.371st of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.