Prof. D. Coleman
David Coleman Professor of Oral and Applied Microbiology (personal chair)
Contact details:Tel: +353 (01) 612 7276, Email: david.coleman@dental.tcd.ie
Administrative responsibilities:
- Head of Division of Oral Biosciences
- Head of Microbiology
- Director of the Oral Biosciences Laboratory
Teaching:
- Microbiology and infection prevention and control
- Applied microbiology and environmental management in healthcare facilities
- Postgraduate (Ph.D.) research student supervision
Research Interests:
Management of microbial biofilms in water systems in healthcare facilities.
One of my main research interests focuses on the development of automated systems for controlling microbial contamination in water systems in healthcare facilities, especially those supplying medical devices such as dental chair units. Waterborne spread of infectious disease is potentially significant with medical devices supplied with water. This research is fundamentally translational and involves industrial partners in Finland (Planmeca) and in Ireland (Trustwater) and has resulted in the development of novel dental chairs with automated and semi-automated control systems for eliminating microbial contamination. Large-scale automated systems for maintaining the water quality in large water distribution systems at better than drinking quality have also be developed and successfully commercialised. Current work includes the application of Trustwater Ecasol vapour technology for the rapid and effective environmental decontamination of healthcare facilities.
Molecular epidemiology and population analysis of MRSA.
Another main research interest concerns the population analysis of MRSA from hospital and community sources. MRSA have been endemic in Irish hospitals for nearly 40 years and have been responsible for considerable patient morbidity. The recent emergence of community-acquired MRSA has added to this problem. Infections with MRSA also cause a considerable drain on limited healthcare resources. My work in this field focuses on high-throughput screening of populations of MRSA using sophisticated DNA typing systems and DNA arrays. This allows the accurate tracing of the sources of MRSA and allows the early identification of emerging strains with enhanced virulence potential and antimicrobial agent resistance.
Epidemiology and population biology of Candida dubliniensis.
Candida dubliniensis is a pathogenic yeast species discovered by Derek Sullivan and I in 1995. The organism causes infections in immunocompromised and debilitated patients. My research on this yeast focuses on its epidemiology, population biology and drugresistance mechanisms, work that is complementary to research undertaken by other members of the Microbiology Unit.
Representative recent publications:
1. Shore AC, Deasy EC, Slickers P, Brennan G, O’Connell B, Monecke S, Ehricht R, Coleman DC. (2011). Detection of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type XI carrying highly divergent mecA, mecI, mecR1, blaZ, and ccr genes in human clinical isolates of clonal complex 130 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 55:3765-3773
2. Monecke S, Coombs G, Shore AC, Coleman DC, Akpaka P, Borg M, Chow H, Ip M, Jatzwauk L, Jonas D, Kadlec K, Kearns A, Laurent F, O’Brien FG, Pearson J, Ruppelt A, Schwarz S, Scicluna E, Slickers P, Tan HL, Weber S, Ehricht R. (2011). A Field Guide to Pandemic, Epidemic and Sporadic Clones of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. PLoS One. 6: e17936.
3. Shore AC, Rossney AS, Brennan OM, Kinnevey PM, Humphreys H, Sullivan DJ, Goering RV, Ehricht R, Monecke S, Coleman DC. (2011). Characterization of a Novel Arginine Catabolic Mobile Element (ACME) and Staphylococcal Chromosomal Cassette mec Composite Island with Significant Homology to Staphylococcus epidermidis ACME type II in Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureus Genotype ST22-MRSA-IV. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 55:1896-1905
4. McManus BA, McGovern E, Moran GP, Healy CM, Nunn J, Fleming P, Costigan C, Sullivan DJ, Coleman DC. 2011. Microbiological Screening of Irish Patients with Autoimmune Polyendocrinopathy-Candidiasis-Ectodermal Dystrophy Reveals Persistence of Candida albicans Strains, Gradual Reduction in Susceptibility to Azoles, and Incidences of Clinical Signs of Oral Candidiasis without Culture Evidence. J Clin Microbiol. 49:1879-1889
5. Shore AC, Rossney AS, Kinnevey PM, Brennan OM, Creamer E, Sherlock O, Dolan A, Cunney R, Sullivan DJ, Goering RV, Humphreys H, Coleman DC. (2010). Enhanced discrimination of highly clonal ST22-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusIV isolates achieved by combining spa, dru, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing data. JJ Clin Microbiol. 48: 1839-1852.
6. Coleman DC, Moran GP, McManus BA, Sullivan DJ. (2010). Mechanisms of antifungal drug resistance in Candida dubliniensis. Future Microbiology. 5:935-949.