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Bachman Lab

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Michael A Bachman, MD, PhD
Associate Director, Clinical Microbiology

Bachman Lab Research Personnel

	Michael Bachman MD PhD Associate Professor of Pathology Director, Molecular Microbiology Dr. Bachman received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan Medical Scientist Training Program. His thesis work in the Laboratory of Michele Swanson PhD focused on virulence gene regulation of Legionella pneumophila. He completed a Clinical Pathology Residency and Clinical Microbiology Fellowship at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He also performed postdoctoral research on the host response to Klebsiella pneumoniae iron metabolism in the laboratory of Jeffrey Weiser MD.

	Jay Vornhagen PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Jay was raised in Michigan, but has also lived in many places across the country, including Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Indiana. During his time moving across the United States, he developed a passion for a variety of activities, but eventually followed his curiosity for microbiology to the University of Michigan. After earning his B.S. in Ann Arbor, Jay went on the pursue a Ph.D. in Pathobiology at the University of Washington in the lab of Lakshmi Rajagopal, where he studied Group B Streptococcus pathogenesis and how it causes adverse pregnancy outcomes. Following completion of his Ph.D., he stayed in the Rajagopal lab for a short time as post-doctoral fellow before joining the Bachman lab in 2017. When Jay is not in the lab, he can be found playing french horn as a member of the UM Band Alumni Association or working on a new recipe in the kitchen.

	Caitlyn Holmes PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Caity joined the Bachman lab in 2020 as a postdoctoral fellow. Her main projects are focused around bacteremia. Before moving to Ann Arbor, she completed a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied innate immunology and extracellular trap formation. She is passionate about undergraduate research and mentoring students. Outside of work, Caity enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring the city.

	Lavinia Unverdorben Graduate Student Lavinia graduated from Juniata College in 2019 with a degree in Biology. As an undergraduate, she developed a strong interest in the roles of microbes in human health and disease. In 2020 she came to the University of Michigan and then joined the Bachman Lab in 2021 as a graduate student. Broadly she is interested in understanding specific pathogenesis mechanisms of Klebsiella genes associated with human infection. Outside of the lab, you can find Lavinia at the gym, painting, or reading a good book.

	Sophia Rose Mason Laboratory Assistant Sophia is a sophomore at the University of Michigan, majoring in Microbiology. She joined the Bachman lab in the fall of 2018 as a UROP student, and then continued her research there the following summer as part of the Biomedical and Life Sciences Fellowship. She is remaining in the lab for the future. Sophia's passion for science also extends to her volunteering with Science Olympiad. Outside of research, Sophia's interests include studying Latin and reading poetry.

Bachman Lab Alumni

	Victoria Holden PhD Graduate Student Victoria earned her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology program. While a graduate student in the lab, Victoria investigated the host-pathogen interaction during infection with Klebsiella pneumoniae. Her thesis research focused on the immune response to iron acquisition by siderophores, small molecules with extremely high affinity for iron. Dr. Holden left the lab to be a postdoctoral fellow at Dartmouth College.

	Rebekah Martin PhD MLS(ASCP) Graduate Student Bekah earned her PhD in the Molecular and Cellular Pathology program, where her research focused on identifying risk factors for clinical infection with the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. Prior to pursuing her PhD, she worked as a clinical microbiologist in the medical laboratories of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in clinical laboratory science from Michigan State University as well as certification as a Medical Laboratory Scientist through the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification. Dr. Martin left the lab to be an Assistant Professor in Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences at Oakland University.

	Paul Breen Research Technician Paul received his BS and BA degrees from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. His work in the lab involved using lambda red recombinase to create mutations in various Klebsiella pneumoniae genes. His main areas of study in the lab focused on measuring siderophore-dependent host-pathogen interactions during Klebsiella pneumoniae infection. Paul left the lab to be a PhD student in Immunology and Microbiology at Wayne State University.

	Abi Collingwood Research Technician Intermediate Abi earned her BS in Microbiology and Spanish from the University of Michigan in 2017. She joined the lab in May of 2016, and she studied host and bacterial factors that are associated with later infection in colonized patients. Outside of the lab, Abi enjoys running and volunteering at the Humane Society. Abi left the lab to be an MPH student at the University of Michigan.

	Alex Teodorescu MPH Research Technician Intermediate Alex joined the lab in July of 2018 after earning a B.S. and an M.P.H in Environmental Health specifically in Toxicology from the University of Michigan. As for the future she is looking to blend her interests in translational medicine, genetics, pharmacology, and cancer research into a career that includes both clinical and wet lab research. She loves Pusheen the cat, her pet mice, and Broadway musicals. And in her spare time she figure skates and enjoys volunteering with various organizations to help foster young girls’ interest in the sciences.

	Yuang Sun MS Research Lab Specialist Assoc Yuang joined the lab in June 2017. His research focuses on developing and utilizing a qPCR-based assay for the detection of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, one of the CDC invested projects for innovations that can slow antibiotic resistance. He is also interested in studying Klebsiella infection. Yuang was raised in Beijing, China. He came to the United States in the summer of 2015, and one year later graduated from the University of Michigan’s master's program in Chemical Biology. In his spare time, Yuang enjoys listening to country and indie music. Although having retired from soccer and basketball, He is learning tennis and covertly planing a comeback in sports. Yuang left the lab in 2021 to be a Ph.D. student at the University of Virginia BIMS program.