Postdoctoral Fellow - Ophthalmology, Microbiology, and Immunobiology
Harvard Medical School - 2012
Kelli Palmer
Fellow, Cecil H. and Ida Green Chair in Systems Biology Science
Associate Professor - Biological Sciences
Professional Preparation
Ph.D. - Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
University of Texas at Austin - 2008
University of Texas at Austin - 2008
B.S. - Microbiology
University of Oklahoma - 2003
University of Oklahoma - 2003
Research Areas
Research Interests
I study antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. My lab currently studies three areas:1) How antibiotic resistance genes spread among microbes on mobile genetic elements;
2) How CRISPR-Cas systems encoded naturally in the human microbiome alter the spread of antibiotic resistance genes; and
3) How pathogenic bacteria construct their outer surface and dynamically alter its structure in response to chemical stresses imposed by the human host.
Publications
Identification of a novel cationic glycolipid in Streptococcus agalactiae that contributes to brain entry and meningitis 2022 - Journal Article
Efficacy of plasmid-encoded CRISPR-Cas antimicrobial is affected by competitive factors found in wild Enterococcus faecalis isolates 2022 - Other
CRISPR-based antimicrobials to obstruct antibiotic-resistant and pathogenic bacteria 2021 - Journal Article
Molecular characterization of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium isolates collected from the Dallas, Texas area 2021 - Other
The Integrity of Heme Is Essential for Reproducible Detection of Metronidazole-Resistant Clostridioides difficile by Agar Dilution Susceptibility Tests 2021 - Journal Article
Genetically distant bacteriophages elicit unique genomic changes in Enterococcus faecalis 2021 - Other
Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, and S. agalactiae membrane phospholipid remodeling in response to human serum 2021 - Other
Characterization of presumptive vancomycin-resistant enterococci recovered during infection control surveillance in Dallas, Texas, USA 2021 - Journal Article
Awards
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Outstanding NS&M Teacher Award - [2017]
News Articles
Microbiologist Aims to Thwart Antibiotic Resistance
Dr. Kelli Palmer is running her own laboratory as an assistant professor of molecular and cell biology at The University of Texas at Dallas. Her work focuses on a better understanding of how bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. One approach she is taking involves sequencing entire genomes of different bacterial species to identify and characterize genetic mutations that lead to antibiotic resistance. She also is investigating the role genetic material called plasmids and transposons play in conferring resistance. These tiny bits of DNA often encode antibiotic resistance genes, and they can be transferred from bacteria that are drug-resistant to bacteria that are not. Understanding this process might lead to more effective ways to curtail the spread of antibiotic resistance, Palmer said.
Biologist Investigates How Gene-Swapping Bacteria Evade Antibiotics
A scientific peek into bacteria boudoirs is revealing how “sex” among disease-causing microbes can lead different species or strains to become resistant to antibiotic medications.Dr. Kelli Palmer, assistant professor of biological sciences at The University of Texas at Dallas, is conducting research aimed at understanding the underlying mechanisms by which bacteria acquire antibiotic resistance genes from one another.
NIH Funds Dr. Palmer’s $2.4 Million Project
Dr. Kelli Palmer received $2,467,449 from the National Institute of Health (NIH) for her research on Adaptive Alterations of Lipids in Mitis Group Streptococci. Streptococcus mitis is typically found in the human mouth and causes infections in the bloodstream and heart valve. Dr. Palmer’s research will test her theory that the ability of Streptococcus mitis to drastically alter lipid compositions in the cellular envelope is critical for its habitat flexibility in the host and its survival in response to antimicrobial stress.