Laboratory of Applied Microbiology

The Laboratory of Applied Microbiology is a scientific–research, scientific-practical laboratory which investigates problems of medical, veterinary and agricultural microbiology. The Laboratory is focused on the investigation of pathogenesis, diagnostics, treatment and prophylaxis of different microbial diseases, and on the creation of bacteriophage preparations for the prevention and treatment of these diseases.
From animal infectious diseases we are interested in pathogens causing intestinal and purulent diseases (mastitis, endometrioses, salmonellosis, etc.) and in the creation of bacteriophage preparations against their causal pathogens.
From plant pathogens, our special interests are groups of bacteria including Xanthomonas, Pseudomonas and on the creation of phage preparations against these pathogens.
The Laboratory is also focused on food safety problems, such as microbiological investigations of food products and the epidemiological investigation of food-borne pathogens for the prevention of infection outbreaks.
The Laboratory is focused on investigations of nosocomial pathogens and the elaboration of different phage-based methods for decontamination and elimination of such pathogens, especially biofilm formatting ones.
The Laboratory conducts investigations of microbial enzymes and the creation of different drug preparations based on these enzymes.

Laboratory Personnel:

Tarasi Gabisonia, MD – Head of the Laboratory Email: (t.gabisonia@pha.ge)
Manana Loladze, PhD – Leading Scientist Email: (m.loladze@pha.ge)
Natela Chakhunashvili, PhD – Leading Scientist Email: (n.chakhunashvili@pha.ge)
Manana Nadiradze, PhD – Senior Scientist Email: (m.nadiradze@pha.ge)
Teimuraz Katamadze, PhD – Researcher Email: (t.katamadze@pha.ge)
Maia Alibegashvili, MSc – Researcher Email: (m.alibegashvili@pha.ge)
Tamar Kalandarishvili, MSc – Researcher Email: (t.kalandarishvili@pha.ge)
Tatiana Eliava, MSc – Researcher

Participation in Scientific Grant Projects:

2017-2019, The Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Project “Application of Salmonella bacteriophages in models of infectious disease in chicken” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2013-2015, GG-19, “Ecology, genetic clustering and virulence of major bacterial and viral pathogens in the Republic of Georgia – Tularemia” (PI: M. Kutateladze, Group Leader: T. Gabisonia).
2009-2012, DETRA GG-18, “Ecology, genetic clustering and virulence of major bacterial and viral pathogens in the Republic of Georgia” (PI: M. Kutateladze, Group Leader: T. Gabisonia).

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2011-2013, STCU-496, “Bacteriophages-Based Approaches to Combat Biofilm-Forming Microbes” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2009-2011, STCU-P395, “Investigation of polymeric biofilms formed by dangerous pathogens, their formation preventing by disinfectants and bacteriophages” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2008-2010, GNSF/ST07/8-270, “Spread of food-borne pathogens in raw milk and milk products, as a potential risk of healthcare in Georgia” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2006-2009, GNSF/ST06/8-036 036, “Monitoring of salmonella spreading in poultry yards and swine farms also in food (meat, eggs)” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2006-2008, STCU 3387, “Experimental evaluation of efficacy of bacteriophage treatment of bacterial blight in cotton and rice” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2006-2007, STCU Gr-130, “Hyaluronidase ointment as an effective remedy for treatment of hypertrophic scars of different origin” (PI: M. Loladze, Group Leader: T. Gabisonia).
2006, ISTC-SB47-06, “Workshop on Molecular-biological characterization of Bacteriophage” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2004-2005, GB-3311 CRDF/GRDF, “Creation of the treatment and prophylactic phage preparation against pathogenic E. coli in animals” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2004-2005, ISTC/G-1009/BTEP-84, “Validating the effectiveness of phage therapy concept, using cow mastitis model” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2003-2004, CRDF-2 2194, “Polyvalent bacteriophage preparation as an effective remedy against massive outbreaks of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonellosis” (PI: T. Gabisonia).
2002-2006, ISTC/G-587/BTEP 9, “Molecular mechanisms of bacteriophage evolution and host to virus transcription transition during bacteriophage infections in pathogenic bacteria” (PI: T. Gabisonia).

List of Selected Publications:

T. G. Gabisonia, M. Zh. Loladze, M. M. Nadiradze, N. K. Chakhunashvili, M. G. Alibegashvili, N. G. Tamarashvili, V. A. Pushkina – “Effects of bacteriophages on biofilm formation by strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa”, Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology, 2016, Volume 52, Issue 3, pp. 293–297.
T. Gabisonia, M. Loladze, T. Katamadze, G. Melashvili, K. Didebulidze, N. Tamarashvili – “Susceptibility of Salmonella Strains to Antibiotics and R-Plasmids Profiling”, I. Javakhisvili Tbilisi State University, Bulletin, Georgian National Academy of Science, 2014, vol 8, no.1 pp. 114-117.
Л. Тортладзе, Т. Габисония, И. Антия – “Влияние мастита на химический состав молока”, Вестник селскохозяственной АН Грузии, 2012, № 30, стр. 288-292.
Л. Тортладзе, Т. Габисония, И. Антия – “Аклиматизация Гольштинской породи в Грузии”, Известия Аграрной Науки, 2012, № 23, стр. 154-168.
T. Gabisonia, M. Loladze, N. Chakhunashvili, M. Nadiradze, D. Goderdzishvili, G. Melashvili, T. Eliava, K. Didebulidze – “Polyvalent bacteriophage preparation as an effective remedy against massive outbreaks of antimicrobial–resistant salmonellosis”, J. Innovative Medicine and Biology, Canada, 2011, #1, pp. 56-63.
T. Gabisonia, M. Loladze, N. Chakhunashvili, M. Nadiradze, G. Melashvili, K. Didebulidze, T. Kalandarishvili, N. Paghava – “Creation of the treatment and prophylactic phage preparation against pathogenic E.coli in animals”, J. Innovative Medicine and Biology, Canada, 2011, #1, pp. 79-86.

Patents:

Preparation method of “ZOOVETPHAGE” for the usage in veterinary, useful model with number 14570/2, 2018.
Preparation method of bacteriophage preparation “SES”, useful model with number 14535/2, 2018.
Preparation method of bacteriophage preparation “FERSIS”, useful model with number 14534/2, 2018.
Preparation method of bacteriophage preparation “Enko”, useful model with number 14533/2, 2018.