University of Kentucky · Microbiology & ImmunologyThe NeuroInvasion Lab
Sarah E. F. D'Orazio · Lexington, Kentucky
Research Focus
The D'Orazio lab at the University of Kentucky focuses on understanding how Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that can cause serious brain infections, invades the enteric nervous system. They explore how the bacteria's specific characteristics help it to cross from the gut to the brain, especially in otherwise healthy individuals. Research findings could lead to new insights into foodborne illnesses and their impact on health.
Listeria monocytogenesneuroinvasionbrain infectionsenteric nervous systemfoodborne pathogens
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate how Listeria crosses the gut mucosa and affects the immune response.
AIM 02Identify specific surface proteins of Listeria that help it invade gut cells.
AIM 03Examine the role of a truncated actA allele in Listeria's ability to move within nerve cells.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureanimal modelsbacterial infection assaysimmunofluorescence microscopyPCRin vitro co-culture techniquesgenetic mutagenesis
Output against the department
Publications63bottom 17% of dept.401st of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.6kbottom 10% of dept.438th 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.