Laboratory of General Microbiology

The main research interest and scientific activity of the laboratory is the isolation of bacteriophages against various pathogenic bacterial strains and study phage-biology and genetics, as well as the elaboration of different medicinal forms of phage preparations and development of technology for phage production.

Laboratory Personnel:

Marina Goderdzishvili, PhD – Head of the Laboratory Email: (mgoderdzishvili@pha.ge)
Irina Chkonia, PhD – Leading Scientist Email: (irinachkonia@pha.ge)
Ia Kusradze, PhD – Senior Scientist Email: (iakusradze@pha.ge)
Natia Karumidze, PhD – Senior Scientist Email: (natiaqarumidze@pha.ge)
Sophie Rigvava, PhD – Senior Scientist Email: (sophierigvava@pha.ge)
Teona Dvalidze – Scientist
Nino Qvatadze – Technician
Darejan Jgenti – Technician

Participation in Scientific Grant Projects:

2019-2023 Ferring Pharmaceuticals: “Developments of Phage-based Products in the field of Reproductive Medicine and Women’s health”
2017-2021, H2020-FETOPEN 767015, “Constructing a Eubiosis Reinstatement Therapy for Asthma” (Co PI: N. Chanishvili).
2016-2017, SRNSF 217874, “The role of XhIA domain containing protein in the development of lysogenic conversion“ (PI: S. Rigvava).
2015-2017, ISTC A-1420, “Targeted elimination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella by bacteriophages” (Co PI: N. Chanishvili).

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2015-2018, STCU P664, “Isolation and Detailed Characterization of Bacteriophages Lytic to Human Pathogenic Species Intrinsically Resistant to Antibiotics” (PI: M. Tediashvili).
2014-2016, SNSF-SCOPES N 152304, “Bacteriophage therapy for treating urinary tract infections: A randomized placebo – controlled, double-blind trial“ (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2010-2015, 7FP Program: Industry Academia Partnership Pathways (Acronym – ”NanoBacteriophageSERS”), “Design of Novel Portable-Sensors Based on Suspension Arrays Composed of Monoclonal Antibody and Bacteriophage Carrying Magnetically Loaded Nanoparticles and Surface Enriched Raman Spectroscopy (SERS)” (Co-PI: N. Chanishvili).
2012 -2014, STCU P 450, “Screening of anti-virus activity of indol-containing tetracyclic condensed systems for application in veterinary medicine” (PI: M. Tediashvili).
2011-2013, ISTC G1912p, “Development of bacteriophage products as alternative to antibiotics to control bacterial diseases of liverstock animals: Stage I – Selection of the promising candidate bacteriophages against Salmonella typhimurium, E.coli, Streptococcus suis and Cl. perfringens” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2009-2012, ISTC G1666, “Development of a New Phage Composite Targeted to Prevent and Treat Mixed Infections” (PI: I.Chkonia).
2007-2008, ISTC 1467, “Preparation of a detailed review article/monograph on the practical application of bacteriophages in medicine, veterinary, environmental research based on old documents and publications” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2006-2009, ISTC G1369, “Microflora of inflammatory process in chronic prostatitis and urogenital tracts in men and phage therapy prospects” (PI: Z. Alavidze).
2005-2008, GEB2 1958 TB 05, “Isolation, distribution and biodiversity of selected Vibrios and their bacteriophages from aquatic environments in Georgia” (PI: M. Tediashvili).
2004-2007, STCU-Gr-115, “Creation and Study of Antimicrobial-Antifungal Composite Using Biodegradable Polymer as a Matrix” (PI: M. Goderdzishvili).
2001-2003, ISTC G446, “Bacteriophages Containing Drug Sustained/Controlled Release Type Polymeric Composites – New Effective Preparations for the Treatment of Infected Wounds and Cavites” (Co-PI: M. Goderdzishvili).

Individual projects:

Sophie Rigvava – 2018-2020- SRNSF Research Grants for young scientists YS-18-413- “Isolation and study of antibacterial effectiveness of phages against Group B Streptococcus”

Natia Karumidze – 2015-2016 – Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship, University of Bern, Switzerland.

Natia Karumidze – 2014-2015 – Grant project “Endolysins as new class of antibacterials.” Eliava Institute and Harvard Medical school, Boston, USA.

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Ia Kusradze – 2014 – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation – Individual Grant Project- Phage Engineering with Bacterial Biofilm Dispersing Gene- MIT, Synthetic Biology Centre, USA.

Teona Dvalidze – 2013-2014 – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation individual grant: “Study of the interaction of antibiotics, phages purulent-inflammatory infections” University of Leicester. Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Laboratory, UK.

Sophie Rigvava – 2013 – Identification and characterization Enterococcus Phage Endolysins. Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.

Sophie Rigvava – 2012 – Presidential grant for young scientists 2012 – Efficacy of Phage therapy against Sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis

Teona Dvalidze – 2012 – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation individual grant: The study of bacteriophages (Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii) activity in the Galleria mellonella infection model” University of Leicester. Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Laboratory, UK.

Ia kusradze – 2012 – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation – Individual Grant Project-Bioinformatics analyzing of phage genomes-Bioinformatics Centre, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Japan.

Natia Karumidze – 2012 – Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Individual Grant Project-“Biofilm Formation and their Inhibition with Bacteriophages” Lab of Physical Chemistry of living surfaces, University of Pierre and Marie Curie, Paris, France

Ia kusradze – 2010 – GNSF-Individual Grant Project –Study of Genetics of Acinetobacter baumannii phages-Molecular Biology; Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université de la Méditerranée Aix-Marseille, France.

Natia Karumidze – 2010- Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation, Individual Grant Project “Isolation and study of freshly isolated clones of Klebsiella pneumoniae Bacteriophages” – University of Leicester, UK.

Sophie Rigvava – 2009-2010- Individual Grant Project, Georgian National Science Scholars Program GRDF/GNSF08/532 No. 0308 – Characterization of Enterococcus faecium Specific Bacteriophages-Bacteriophage Evolutionary Ecology Research, Queens College, City University of NY, USA.

Natia Karumidze – 2009-2010- Individual grant project, Georgian national Science Scholars Program GRDF/GNSF08/532 No. 0408 “Characterization of freshly isolated clones of bacteriophages against P.aeruginosa and Klebsiella for involving them into natural antimicrobial-antifungal biocomposite”. The research was done in health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA.

List of Selected Publications:

Lorenz Leitner, Aleksandre Ujmajuridze, Nina Chanishvili, Marina Goderdzishvili, , Ulrich Mehnert, Archil Chkhotua, Wilbert Sybesma, Thomas M. Kessler “Adapted bacteriophages for treating urinary tract infections” April 2019 The Journal of Urology 201(Supplement 4)DOI: 10.1097/01.JU.0000556530.61448.e3
Rigvava^{1, 2}, Sh. Kharebava³, T Giorgobiani^{2, 3}, T.Dvalidze¹, M.Goderdzishvili¹ “Identification and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of Streptococcus agalactiae“ GMN. 12.2019
S. Rigvava, I. Kusradze, N. Karumidze, T. Dvalidze, M. Katsitadze, S. Barbakadze, D. Bolkvadze, M. Goderdzishvili – “New Temperate Enterococcus phage vB_GEC_EFS_2 with potential of lysogenic conversion”, GMN Georgian Med News, 2018, (274):158-164.
L. Leitner, W. Sybesma, N. Chanishvili, M. Goderdzishvili, T. M. Kessler – “Bacteriophages for treating urinary tract infections in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial”, BMC Urology, 2017, 17(1):90.
F. Nogueira, N. Karumidze, I. Kusradze, M. Goderdzishvili, I. C. Gouveia – “Immobilization of bacteriophage in wound-dressing nanostructure”, Nanomedicine: nanotechnology, biology, and medicine, 2017, V13.(8), pp. 2475-2484.

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I. Kusradze, N. Karumidze, S. Rigvava, T. Dvalidze, M. Katsitadze, I. Amiranashvili, M. Goderdzishvili – ”Characterization and Testing the Efficiency of Acinetobacter baumannii Phage vB-GEC_Ab-M-G7 as an Antibacterial Agent”, Front Microbiol, 2016, 4;7:1590.
A. Uimajuridze, G. Jvania, N. Chanishvili, M. Goderdzishvili, W. Sybesma, L. Managadze, A. Chkhotua, T. Kessler – “265 Phage therapy for the treatment for urinary tract infection: Results of in-vitro screenings and in-vivo application using commercially available bacteriophage cocktails”, European Urology Supplements, 2016, Volume 15, Issue 3, Page e265.
H. Zschach, K. Joensen, B. Lindhard, O. Lund, M. Goderdzishvili, I. Chkonia, G. Jgenti, N. Kvatadze, Z. Alavidze, E. Kutter, H. Hasman, M. Larsen – “What Can We Learn from a Metagenomic Analysis of a Georgian Bacteriophage Cocktail?”, Viruses, 2015, 7(12), 6570-6589.
J.P. Pirnay, B. Blasdel, L. Bretaudeau, A. Buckling, N. Chanishvili, M. Goderdzishvili, F. Pouilot, G. Resch, C. Rohde, J. Scheres, M. Skurnik, M. Vaneechoutte, L. Van Parys, G. Verbeken, M. Zizi, G. Van den Eed – “Quality and Safety Requirements for Sustainable Phage Therapy Products”, Pharmaceutical research, 2015, 32(7):2173-9.
J. Sahota, C. Smith, P. Radhakrishnan, C. Winstanley, M. Goderdzishvili, N. Chanishvili, A. Kadioglu, C. O’Callaghan, M. Clokie – “Bacteriophage Delivery by Nebulization and Efficacy against Phenotypically Diverse Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Cystic Fibrosis Patients”, Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery, 2015, 28(5):353-60.
K. Elizabeth, J. Borysowski, R. Międzybrodzki, A. Górski, B. Weber-Dąbrowska, M. Kutateladze, Z. Alavidze, M. Goderdzishvili, R. Adamia – “Clinical Phage Therapy”, Chapter 11, In the book: Phage Therapy: Current Research and Applications, 2014, Editor: Jan Borysowski, Ryszard Międzybrodzki and Andrzej Górski, Caister Academic Press, 2014.
N. Karumidze, I. Kusradze, S. Rigvava, M. Goderdzishvili, K. Rajakumar, Z. Alavidze – “Isolation and Characterisation of Lytic Bacteriophages of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca”, Current Microbiology, 2013, v. 66, Issue 3, pp. 251-258.
S. Rigvava, I. Tchkonia, M. Goderdzishvili, D. Jgenti, T. Dvalidze, J. Carpino – “Comparative Analyses of Biological and Physical Properties of Enterococcus faecalis Bacteriophage vB_EfS_3 and Streptococcus mitis Bacteriophage vB_SmitisM_2”, Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 2013, v. 59, issue 1, pp 18-21.
N. Karumidze, J. Thomas, N. Kvatadze, M. Goderdzishvili, K. Hakala, S. Weintraub, Z. Alavidze, S. Hardies – “Characterization of lytic Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophages via biological properties and genomic sequences”, Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2012, v. 94, Issue 6, pp 1609-1617.
I. Kusradze, S. Diene, M. Goderdzishvili, J.M. Rolainb – “Molecular detection of OXA carbapenemase genes in multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Iraq and Georgia”, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 2011, v. 38, Issue 2, pp.164–168.