As part of the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, the Avanzi Lab specializes in the genomics epidemiology of leprosy. More specifically, it investigates the transmission and dissemination dynamics of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis, the causative agents of leprosy in humans, along with the role of animal and environmental hosts in facilitating the global pathogen spread. Furthermore, her research encompasses the development and optimization of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting these pathogens in clinical specimens and assessing their viability, which is crucial for evaluating treatment effectiveness and developing new regimens. Additionally, as a participant in the World Health Organization’s drug resistance surveillance network, her laboratory conducts comprehensive molecular analyses to determine drug susceptibility profiles and elucidate novel resistance mechanisms in M. leprae.
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Florida has seen an increase in cases of leprosy, the ancient disease that can cause nerve damage in humans. Avoid contact with burrows, said Charlotte Avanzi, a Colorado State University researcher who specializes in leprosy.
To better understand who’s at risk and to prevent leprosy infections in Florida, about 10 scientists from the University of Florida, Colorado State University and Emory University in Atlanta teamed up last year to investigate.
An international team, including CSU Mycobacteria Research Labs assistant professor Charlotte Avanzi, utilized archaeological findings to identify red squirrels in medieval England as hosts for Mycobacterium leprae.
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Lab: Microbiology Building room B330
Offices: Microbiology Building rooms B308 & B320
(970) 491-2669
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