Program Overview

Our research focuses on the investigation of optimal antimicrobial pharmacodynamics in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.

Laboratory studies are conducted in an in vitro pharmacodynamic infection model which simulates antimicrobial concentrations observed in patients.  This work includes testing both investigational and marketed antibiotics against pathogens such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus (MRSA), Enterococcus, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas and Candida.  Agents are studied alone or in combination using various dosing regimens, infusion strategies and durations of therapy.  Compared to traditional microbiological testing, the in vitro infection model is more representative of in vivo conditions and, as such, provides valuable pre-clinical data to inform decisions in practice and future research.

Our clinical focus is on characterizing optimal antimicrobial pharmacodynamics in high risk populations such as critically ill, dialysis and surgical patients.  This work includes population-pharmacokinetic analyses, retrospective/observational clinical studies and Monte Carlo simulation trials.  The latter is an important translational component of our research program done in collaboration with the Canadian Antimicrobial Resistance Alliance (CARA) which maintains national microbiological surveillance, antimicrobial usage and resistance data.

Recent Poster Presentations

1. Zelenitsky S, Ariano R, Kumar A, Zhanel G. Empirical Combination Antimicrobial Therapy for Bloodstream Infections (BSI) in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Setting: Using Pharmacodynamics (PD) to Make Predictions. 49th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Boston, MA (10/2011).
2. Zelenitsky S, Rubinstein E, Ariano R, Iacovides H, Kumar A. More Aggressive Vancomycin (VAN) Pharmacodynamic (PD) Targets Predict Survival for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Septic Shock. 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), Chicago, IL (09/2011).
3. Zelenitsky S, Ariano R, Zhanel G. Vancomycin (Van), Ceftaroline (Cef), Daptomycin (Dap) and Linezolid (Lin) Pharmacodynamics (PDs) against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with Van MICs of 2 mg/L. 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), Chicago, IL (09/2011).
4. Alkurdi N, Kumar A, Ariano R, Zelenitsky S. Investigating Ceftobiprole (Cef) Alone and in Combination with Daptomycin (Dap), Linezolid (Lin) and Vancomycin (Van) against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in an In Vitro Infection Model. 51st Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), Chicago, IL (09/2011).
5. Keel R, Zhanel G, Zelenitsky S, Nicolau D. Pharmacodynamic (PD) profiling of intravenous antimicrobials against Gram-negative respiratory isolates from Canadian hospitals. 48th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), Vancouver, BC (10/2010).
6. Zelenitsky S, Al-kurdi N, Weber Z, Ariano R, Zhanel G. Preventing resistance during continuous infusion vancomycin against methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in an in vitro infection model. 50th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), Boston, MA (09/2010).
7. Crandon J, Ariano R, Zelenitsky S, Nicasio A, Kuti J, NicolauD. Population Pharmacokinetics (PopPK) to Determine Optimized Meropenem (MEM) Dosing Regimens in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patients over Three Creatinine Clearance (CrCL) Ranges 39th Critical Care Congress, Society of Critical Care Medicine, Miami Beach, FL  (01/2010).