Steven Rutherford

Infections by bacteria resistant to all available antibiotics are on the rise and new treatment options are needed. This is especially true for Gram-negative bacterial pathogens for which the last new class of antibiotics was introduced to the clinic over 50 years ago. My group aims to discover and validate new potential antibiotic targets in Gram-negative bacteria and test novel inhibitory modalities.

We have focused on the outer membrane, a defining feature of Gram-negative bacteria that serves as a permeability barrier to prevent penetrance of antibiotics and other toxic molecules. Working closely with colleagues in Structural Biology, Antibody Engineering, Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, Chemistry, Translational Immunology, and Early Discovery Biochemistry, we have explored multiple essential pathways involved in constructing and mainlining the outer membrane and used antibodies and other molecules to dissect and target these processes.

• Princeton University, Postdoctoral Fellow – 2008-2013
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ph.D. in Microbiology – 2008
• Miami University, B.A. in Microbiology – 2002

• Genentech Scientific Mentorship Award Finalist – 2019
• Genentech Research Innovation Fund Award – 2016, 2019
• NIH Kirschstein National Research Service Award – 2010
• Thomsen Distinguished Graduate Fellowship – 2007
• Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Fellowship – 2004