Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College · ChemistryRivera Biofilm Lab
Mario Rivera · Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Research Focus
Dr. Mario Rivera's lab at Louisiana State University focuses on developing new treatments for chronic wound infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly those that form protective biofilms. The lab aims to disrupt the iron homeostasis of these bacteria, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of antibiotics. By targeting specific proteins involved in iron storage, the research seeks to create innovative anti-infective agents that could help combat persistent infections in patients.
bacterial biofilmsiron homeostasisPseudomonas aeruginosaantibiotic resistanceanti-infectiveslead moleculeschronic wounds
Research Aims
5AIM 01Identify and optimize inhibitors of the BfrB-Bfd protein complex.
AIM 02Assess the antibacterial effectiveness of these inhibitors.
AIM 03Evaluate the potential drug suitability of optimized compounds.
AIM 04Investigate the mechanism by which disrupted iron homeostasis affects biofilm formation.
AIM 05Explore the relationship between bacterial iron theft and chronic wound infections.
Skills the Lab Values
organic synthesisX-ray crystallographymedicinal chemistrymicrobial geneticsanimal model experimentationcell culturefluorescence microscopyprotein purificationstructure-activity relationship studies
Output against the department
Publications156bottom 37% of dept.136th of 216
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations3.7kbottom 26% of dept.160th of 216
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.