Cech Research Group

Understanding Bacterial Communication in the Skin Microbiome

When we talk about bacteria, there’s a lot of focus on the “bad” bacteria (pathogens) that cause infections.  However, bacteria can also be helpful!  The human skin is coated with bacteria (called commensals). 

Predicting and Preventing Adverse Interactions between Drugs and Dietary Supplements

Our goal with this project is to help support safe use of these dietary supplements, by determining whether they might interact with pharmaceutical drugs consumed at the same time. 

Developing New Treatments for Drug Resistant Bacterial Infections

According to the Centers for Disease Control, antibiotic resistant bacterial infections are responsible for 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths each year in the US alone.  The financial burden of such infections on our healthcare system is estimated at $4.6 billion.  Many of the most successful drugs for treating these diseases come from fungi…

Creating New Tools for Natural Products Drug Discovery

In the early 1970s, scientist Tu Youyou, leading a secret research group in China called Project 523, discovered artemisinin, now the world’s most effective treatment for malaria. Dr. Tu and her team discovered this molecule from sweet annie (Artemisia annua), a plant used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat fevers…

Novel Approaches to Study Synergy in Botanical Medicines

We have developed a novel approach “synergy-directed fractionation”, which employs mass spectrometry and synergy assays in concert to track bioactive constituents as they are isolated from a mixture. We used the medicinal plant goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) as a test case for this approach…

Natural Products for the Treatment of Drug Resistant Infections

New strategies to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections

Influence of Endophytes on Bioactive Constituent Profile of Botanical Medicines

There is growing awareness that the bioactive constituent profile of medicinal plants can be profoundly influenced by endophyte infection. Endophytes are microorganisms (typically fungi or bacteria) that infect plant tissues, often engaged in symbiotic interactions with their hosts…

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Echinacea purpurea

The Centers for Disease Control reports that Echinacea is the third most commonly used herbal medicine in the US. This botanical is typically employed for treatment of upper respiratory infections, which afflict adults 2-4 times per year, and cost over $10 billion in annual medical costs…