University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Microbiology & ImmunologyThe C. difficile Dynamics Lab
Rita Tamayo · Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Research Focus
Dr. Rita Tamayo's lab studies the behavior of a bacterium called Clostridioides difficile, which can lead to serious intestinal infections, especially after antibiotic use. Her research focuses on how this bacterium varies its characteristics to survive in different environments, particularly how it balances the production of harmful toxins and flagella (which help it move and attach to cells) to thrive in the intestines. By uncovering the mechanisms behind this variability and how it affects the bacteria's ability to cause disease, the lab aims to contribute to new methods for preventing and treating C. difficile infections.
Clostridioides difficilevirulence factorsphase variationintestinal infectionstoxinspathogen fitnesshost-pathogen interactionbacterial motilityantibiotic resistance
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate how Clostridioides difficile regulates the expression of its virulence factors during infection.
AIM 02Define the environmental cues that influence phase variation in this bacterium.
AIM 03Examine the impact of flagellar and toxin production on the fitness of C. difficile during intestinal colonization.
AIM 04Uncover the genetic mechanisms underlying the stochastic phase variation observed in C. difficile populations.
Skills the Lab Values
molecular geneticscell cultureanimal modelssingle-cell analysisgene expression analysisbacterial culturing techniquesPCRWestern blotimmunofluorescence microscopy
Output against the department
Publications107bottom 39% of dept.297th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations4.4kbottom 34% of dept.321st 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.