Tracy Hazen, PhD, focuses her current research on investigating the diversity and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance among gut-related and hospital-acquired infections within healthcare settings.She is particularly interested in the role of mobile genetic elements in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. Her research also explores how non-harmful bacteria in patients or hospital settings can contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance by passing resistance genes directly to other bacteria. A goal of Hazen’s work is to develop feasible molecular and sequencing-based approaches to enhance infection control.

Her earlier research at IGS characterized the genomic diversity of Escherichia coli that colonized or were associated with infection in the gastrointestinal tract of infants and children. Hazen used comparative genomics and transcriptomics to research a variety of pathogens.

Hazen completed her PhD in Applied Biology focused on Microbiology from Georgie Institute of Technology. She studied microbial ecology and the contribution of plasmids to compare the genetic diversity of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from clinical and environmental specimens. She completed her postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. David Rasko at IGS.