
Overview
overview
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Kalai Mathee is the first Florida International University (FIU) faculty member inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Mathee is a professor and researcher at the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM). Of the two Malaysians ever inducted, she is the second and the first woman who was also educated in her vernacular language of Tamil.
She is one of 68 new fellows selected by the Academy this year. The Academy is the honorific leadership group within the American Society for Microbiology, one of the oldest and largest life science societies in the world. The fellows are voted-in through a highly selective peer-review process that focuses on their original contributions to advance science and microbiology. The following countries are represented in the class of 2020: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Chile, China, France, Germany, Israel, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The fellows came from many prestigious institutions — Harvard, University of California-Berkely, University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of California-San Francisco, Johns Hopkins, Max Plank Institute, University of Cambridge, to name a few.
Mathee joined FIU in 1999 as an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. When the FIU medical school was created, she became the first founding faculty and the founding chair of the HWCOM Department of Molecular Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. She rose up to the rank of Professor in 2010. She founded the FIU Global Health Conference in 2011 and the Global Health Consortium in 2014. In 2011, she was received Faculty Award for Excellence in Mentorship. That was topped by 2011 President’s Council Worlds Ahead Faculty Award, the highest honor at FIU. In 2014, she was one of the inaugural recipients of the international New England Biolabs Passion in Science Award for exemplary scientific mentorship and advocacy.
She has mentored 140+ individuals from professors to middle-school students. Along with her mentees, she has published more than 120+ articles and several book chapters in the fields of alginate gene regulation, antimicrobial resistance, gut, and lung metagenome and microbiome, alternate therapeutics, forensic science, comparative genomics, and bioinformatics. She has four patents to her credit. She has given 120+ lectures across the globe. She also serves as the editor-in-chief along with Norman Fry of Public Health England of the Journal of Medical Microbiology, the first international editor in its 50-year history.
Mathee received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology (focus on molecular microbiology) at the University of Tennessee, Memphis in 1992, and Masters in Public Health, majoring in health policy and management in 2018 from Florida International University. A native of Malaysia, she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Genetics (1984) and a Master of Science (1986) in Microbial Genetics from the University of Malaya.
research interests
- Antibiotic resistance, Alginate gene regulation, Comparative genomics, Pseudomonas aeruginsoa, Microbiome, Cystic fibrosis, Peptidoglycan recycling, Beta-lactamases
Scholarly & Creative Works
selected publications
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Article
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2022Potential Autoimmunity Resulting from Molecular Mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human ProteinsFull Text via DOI: 10.3390/v14071415 Web of Science: 000831881500001
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2022New dynamic microreactor system to mimic biofilm formation and test anti-biofilm activity of nanoparticlesFull Text via DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11855-9 Web of Science: 000772717500001
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2021Multi-Run Concrete Autoencoder to Identify Prognostic lncRNAs for 12 CancersFull Text via DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111919 Web of Science: 000718614700001
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2021Causal effects in microbiomes using interventional calculusFull Text via DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84905-3 Web of Science: 000629622100021
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2021Dynamic Bayesian Networks for Integrating Multi-omics Time Series Microbiome DataFull Text via DOI: 10.1128/mSystems.01105-20 Web of Science: 000665831100014
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2021JMM Profile: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001336 Web of Science: 000638091300004
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2020Inferring directional relationships in microbial communities using signed Bayesian networksFull Text via DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07065-0 Web of Science: 000602687200004
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2020Plasmin Cascade Mediates Thrombotic Events in SARS-CoV-2 Infection via Complement and Platelet-Activating SystemsFull Text via DOI: 10.1109/OJEMB.2020.3014798 Web of Science: 000653537500030
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2018Outer-membrane protein LptD (PA0595) plays a role in the regulation of alginate synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosaFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000752 Web of Science: 000440462400017
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2016Otopathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Enters and Survives Inside MacrophagesFull Text via DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01828 Web of Science: 000388756100001
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2016Identification of Novel Genomic Islands in Liverpool Epidemic Strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Using Segmentation and ClusteringFull Text via DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01210 Web of Science: 000380658100002
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2016Muropeptides in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their Role as Elicitors of beta-Lactam-Antibiotic ResistanceFull Text via DOI: 10.1002/anie.201601693 Web of Science: 000377921400013
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2016Characterization of a Carbapenem-Hydrolyzing Enzyme, PoxB, in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1Full Text via DOI: 10.1128/AAC.01807-15 Web of Science: 000369159800025
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2016Metagenomics, Metatranscriptomics, and Metabolomics Approaches for Microbiome AnalysisFull Text via DOI: 10.4137/EBO.S36436 Web of Science: 000382989300002
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2015Microbial "social networks"Full Text via DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-16-S11-S6 Web of Science: 000377308500006
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2015Pseudomonas aeruginosa MifS-MifR Two-Component System Is Specific for alpha-Ketoglutarate UtilizationFull Text via DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129629 Web of Science: 000358147500032
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2014Structural and Functional Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Global Regulator AmpRFull Text via DOI: 10.1128/JB.01997-14 Web of Science: 000343930600009
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2013A dynamic and intricate regulatory network determines Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulenceFull Text via DOI: 10.1093/nar/gks1039 Web of Science: 000312889900034
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2012The Regulatory Repertoire of Pseudomonas aeruginosa AmpC beta-Lactamase Regulator AmpR Includes Virulence GenesFull Text via DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0034067 Web of Science: 000304523400054
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2011Substituted lactam and cyclic azahemiacetals modulate Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensingFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2011.07.044 Web of Science: 000294711100022
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2011Paper based point-of-care testing disc for multiplex whole cell bacteria analysisFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2011.04.035 Web of Science: 000293104100014
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2011Co-regulation of beta-lactam resistance, alginate production and quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosaFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.021600-0 Web of Science: 000287569700001
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2010Pseudomonas aeruginosa beta-lactamase induction requires two permeases, AmpG and AmpPFull Text via DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-328 Web of Science: 000286331600001
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2010Neurotrophic and neuroimmune responses to early-life Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in rat lungsFull Text via DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00017.2010 Web of Science: 000281449500005
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2009Impact of Higher Alginate Expression on Deposition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Radial Stagnation Point Flow and Reverse Osmosis SystemsFull Text via DOI: 10.1021/es901095u Web of Science: 000270136500037
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2009A k(2)A-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae causes liver and brain abscess in a Saint Kitt's manFull Text via DOI: 10.7150/ijms.6.301 Web of Science: 000273405400002
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2008Influence of irrigated agriculture on soil microbial diversityFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.03.012 Web of Science: 000259414100016
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2008Attenuation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence by medicinal plants in a Caenorhabditis elegans model systemFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.47802-0 Web of Science: 000257520100003
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2008Dynamics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa genome evolutionFull Text via DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0711982105 Web of Science: 000253567900063
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2008Direct electrical measurements on single-molecule genomic DNA using single-walled carbon nanotubesFull Text via DOI: 10.1021/nl0716451 Web of Science: 000252257700005
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2008Inhibition of quorum sensing-controlled virulence factor production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by south Florida plant extractsFull Text via DOI: 10.1128/AAC.00612-07 Web of Science: 000252133700020
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2007Assessing microbial community diversity using amplicon length heterogeneity polymerase chain reactionFull Text via DOI: 10.2136/sssaj2006.0147 Web of Science: 000244980700038
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2006Anti-quorum sensing activity of medicinal plants in southern FloridaFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.11.025 Web of Science: 000237885300017
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2006Simple electrospray mass spectrometry detection of acylhomoserine lactonesFull Text via DOI: 10.1002/bio.873 Web of Science: 000235695600001
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2005Characterization of poxB, a chromosomal-encoded Pseudomonas aeruginosa oxacillinaseFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2005.05.027 Web of Science: 000232249500009
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2004Alginate production affects Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm development and architecture, but is not essential for biofilm formationFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.45539-0 Web of Science: 000222535400015
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2002Gerimax ginseng regulates both humoral and cellular immunity during chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infectionFull Text via DOI: 10.1089/107555302760253658 Web of Science: 000177855600010
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2002Mining protein sequences for motifsFull Text via DOI: 10.1089/106652702761034145 Web of Science: 000179401200002
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2001Characterization of algG encoding C5-epimerase in the alginate biosynthetic gene cluster of Pseudomonas fluorescensFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1119(01)00685-0 Web of Science: 000172537000010
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2001Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutations in lasl and rhll quorum sensing systems result in milder chronic lung infectionFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/00221287-147-5-1105 Web of Science: 000168513600004
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2000Detection of N-acylhomoserine lactones in lung tissues of mice infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosaFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/00221287-146-10-2481 Web of Science: 000089985400015
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1993THE BACTERIOPHAGE-MU MIDDLE OPERON - ESSENTIAL AND NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONSFull Text via DOI: 10.1006/viro.1993.1528 Web of Science: A1993LY07100035
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1993BACTERIOPHAGE-MU MOR PROTEIN REQUIRES SIGMA(70) TO ACTIVATE THE MU-MIDDLE PROMOTERFull Text via DOI: 10.1128/JB.175.17.5314-5323.1993 Web of Science: A1993LV38700004
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1990IDENTIFICATION OF A POSITIVE REGULATOR OF THE MU-MIDDLE OPERONFull Text via DOI: 10.1128/jb.172.12.6641-6650.1990 Web of Science: A1990EL03400008
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Book
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1998The anti-sigma factors. Ed. 52.Full Text via DOI: 10.1146/annurev.micro.52.1.231 Web of Science: 000076541000009
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Book Chapter
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2020Effects of Various Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Supplement Dosages on the Lung Microbiome and Metabolome. 90-101.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-46165-2_8
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2016Microbiome Analysis: State of the Art and Future Trends. 401-424.Full Text via DOI: 10.1002/9781119272182.ch18
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2013Transcriptional Regulatory Network in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 199-221.Web of Science: 000382950400014
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Conference
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2020So you think you can PLS-DA?Full Text via DOI: 10.1186/s12859-019-3310-7 Web of Science: 000600106400001
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2019BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS AND HIGH-RISK HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS COINFECTION AMONG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES. A188-A188.Full Text via DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.474 Web of Science: 000506050102129
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2019CO-OCCURRENCE OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS AND TRICHOMONAS VAGINALIS AMONG YOUNG AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. A188-A188.Full Text via DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.475 Web of Science: 000506050102130
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2019EFFECT OF METRONIDAZOLE TREATMENT ON RECURRENT AND PERSISTENT BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS: A PILOT STUDY. A187-A187.Full Text via DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2019-sti.473 Web of Science: 000506050102128
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2016Anti-bacterial Properties of the Annona montana. S286-S286.Web of Science: 000536067701214
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2016Panax Ginseng Extracts As a Novel Antibiotic. S286-S286.Web of Science: 000536067701213
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2014
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2013A Metagenomic Approach to the Airways Microbiome of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). 151-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1109/SBEC.2013.84 Web of Science: 000324751700076
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2013Designing Primers with Higher Taxonomic Distinguishability. 157-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1109/SBEC.2013.87 Web of Science: 000324751700079
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2009Computer-assisted bacterial identification using 16S rRNA sequence data. 239-240.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-01697-4_84
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2008A Functional Network of Yeast Genes Using Gene Ontology Information. 343-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1109/BIBM.2008.60 Web of Science: 000264284200052
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2008
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2007PlasmoTFBM: An intelligent queriable database for predicted transcription factor binding motifs in Plasmodium falciparum. 121-+.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/978-0-387-34569-7_9 Web of Science: 000243466200009
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2005Clustering using adaptive self-organizing maps (ASOM) and applications. 944-951.Web of Science: 000230023800120
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2005QUERYING A DATABASE OF REGULATORY ELEMENTS. 81-92.Full Text via DOI: 10.1142/9789812702098_0008
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2005TRAINING SET DESIGN FOR PATTERN DISCOVERY WITH APPLICATIONS TO PROTEIN MOTIF DETECTION. 240-251.Full Text via DOI: 10.1142/9789812702098_0022
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1996Regulation of the alginate (algD) operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 472-483.Web of Science: A1996BG92N00041
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1995RESTRICTION ENZYME-SYSTEMS OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI. A200-A200.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/0016-5085(95)23460-8 Web of Science: A1995QT86300791
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Other Scholarly Work
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2021Journal of Medical Microbiology: global footprint and appointment of a regional Editorial BoardFull Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001391 Web of Science: 000662112400002
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2020Composition of the Vaginal Microbiome Associated with High Risk HPV Infection and Increased Risk for Cervical Cancer. 696-696.Full Text via DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-20-0071 Web of Science: 000521288000037
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2020Pseudomonas 2019 meeting report. 924-927.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001208 Web of Science: 000560642600002
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2019Dynamic Bayesian networks for integrating multi-omics time-series microbiome dataFull Text via DOI: 10.1101/835124
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2019DORA Editorial. 117-118.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000887 Web of Science: 000457872000001
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2019DORA Editorial. 125-126.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000751 Web of Science: 000462254800001
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2018Outer-membrane protein LptD (PA0595) plays a role in the regulation of alginate synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (vol 67, pg 1139, 2018). 1533-1533.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000819 Web of Science: 000448922100013
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2018Forensic investigation into the origin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14-old but not lost. 1019-1021.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000778 Web of Science: 000440462400002
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2017Welcome from Norman Fry and Kalai Mathee, new co-Editors-in-Chief for the Journal of Medical Microbiology. 846-846.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000520 Web of Science: 000408243600002
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2016Role of Small RNAs in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Virulence and Adaptation. 383-392.Full Text via DOI: 10.1002/9781119004813.ch34
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201570th Anniversary Collection for the Microbiology Society: Journal of Medical Microbiology. 1457-1461.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000186 Web of Science: 000369527400001
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2011Co-regulation of beta-lactam resistance, alginate production and quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (vol 60, pg 147, 2011). 696-697.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.48605-0 Web of Science: 000290835600025
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2009
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Preprint
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2020Causal Inference in Microbiomes Using Intervention CalculusFull Text via DOI: 10.1101/2020.02.28.970624
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Review
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2020The gut microbiome and neuropsychiatric disorders: implications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 14-24.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001112 Web of Science: 000518384100003
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2018Microbial otitis media: recent advancements in treatment, current challenges and opportunities. 1417-1425.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000810 Web of Science: 000448922100001
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2018Cell-wall recycling and synthesis in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa - their role in the development of resistance. 1-21.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000636 Web of Science: 000425273400001
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2015Current concepts in the pathogenesis and treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media. 1103-1116.Full Text via DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000155 Web of Science: 000365460900001
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2015Pseudomonas aeruginosa AmpR: an acute-chronic switch regulatorFull Text via DOI: 10.1111/2049-632X.12208 Web of Science: 000353152200008
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2014Role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of otitis media. 259-267.Full Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2014.10.015 Web of Science: 000348023600058
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2010Beta-lactam antibiotics: from antibiosis to resistance and bacteriology. 1-36.Full Text via DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0463.2009.02563.x Web of Science: 000272770400001
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2009Comparative transcriptome analyses of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.. 349-361.Full Text via DOI: 10.1186/1479-7364-3-4-361
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2003
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Works By Students
advised honors theses
- Colbert, Brett, Identification of Alginate-regulating Genes in the Clinical Cystic Fibrosis Isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA2192 2017
- Gonzalez, Victor M., The Role of Ras Oncogene in Differentiation of 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes 2013
- Ramirez, Lourdes, Role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mifSR Two-Component System in Antibiotic Resistance and Biofilm Formation 2012
- Bosse, Raphael C., Role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA4157in Quorum Sensing and Iron Transport Regulation 2009
- Villaseca, Christian, Testing the Efficacy of Panax ginseng Extract as a Novel Anti-Quorum Sensing Agent 2009
- Maricic, Natalie, Investigating an Alternative Treatment to Cystic Fibrosis: Testing the Effect of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer extracts on Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2008
- Baker, Nabil M. Abou, Presumptive Identification of the Fungal Communities in Cystic Fibrosis Patients' Sputum Using Amplicon Length Heterogeneity Polymerase Chain Reaction 2008
- Jr, Sixto M. Leal, Characterization of L-Serine Deaminase and its Potential Role in the Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2006
- Luna, Sergio E., Using a Novel Non-radioactive Method of Primer Extension Analysis to Map the Transcription Start Sites of amp Genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2006
- Gurkar, Aditi, Potential Application of Phage Therapy Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Infection in Cystic Fibrosis Patients 2005
- Olavarrieta, Raquel A., Role of AmpR and alginate production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm antibiotic resistance associated with cystic fibrosis 2005
- Cumberbatch, Analisa, Characterization of the Anti-Quorum Sensing Activity Exhibited by Marine Macro algae of South Florida 2002
- Ramos, Damaris, Molecular Mechanisms Involved in Regulating the Mucoid-to-Nonmucoid Conversion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Associated with Cystic Fibrosis Patients 2002
Research
principal investigator on
- Decoding P. aeruginosa RIP cascade and discovering its inhibitors as therapeutics awarded by Allergy and Infectious Diseases 2015 - 2020
- Global Health Consortium, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine awarded by Sanofi 2016 - 2018
- Alpha Trypsin Deficiency Lung Microbiome Project awarded by Alpha-1 Foundation 2014 - 2017
- BRIDGE Funding 13-14 awarded by FIU Office of Research and Economic Deve 2013 - 2015
- Regulation of P. Aeruginosa PoxB Oxacillinase by AmpR and a Two-Component System awarded by General Medical Sciences 2008 - 2013
- Identifying intermediate transcriptional regulators of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa AmpR virulence regulon awarded by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 2011
co-principal investigator on
- RAPID: Bioinformatic Search for Epitope-based Molecular Mimicry in the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Using Chameleon awarded by National Science Foundation 2020 - 2022
- Workshop on Health access and policies in Latin American and Caribbean Countries (LACC) awarded by Novartis Latin America Services Inc 2016
- CREST-I/UCRC-Industry Ecosystem to Pipeline Research awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2016
- The Airway Microbiome in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease awarded by Florida Department of Health 2010 - 2012
- 2007-2008 MBRS Support of Continuous Research Excellence at FIU. awarded by General Medical Sciences 2007 - 2009
subproject principal investigator on
- Geospatial Data and Outreach Facilitation Systems for Vaccination Analysis and Management awarded by Sanofi 2016 - 2017
- CREST-I/UCRC-Industry Ecosystem to Pipeline Research awarded by National Science Foundation 2012 - 2016
- The Airway Microbiome in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease awarded by Florida Department of Health 2010 - 2012
- 2007-2008 MBRS Support of Continuous Research Excellence at FIU. awarded by General Medical Sciences 2007 - 2009
investigator on
Contact
full name
- Kalai Mathee-Narasimhan
Identifiers
ORCID iD
- https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4569-5419 (confirmed)
visualizations
publication subject areas
- Agriculture
- Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
- Chemistry
- Evolutionary Biology
- General & Internal Medicine
- Genetics & Heredity
- Immunology
- Integrative & Complementary Medicine
- Legal Medicine
- Mathematical & Computational Biology
- Microbiology
- Pathology
- Pharmacology & Pharmacy
- Plant Sciences
- Science & Technology - Other Topics
- Virology