R&D Department

Research and Development Laboratory was established in 2010 on the base of the former Laboratory of Genetics of Microorganisms. The main directions of the work are: research and development of bacteriophages active to various aerobic and anaerobic bacteria; isolation of lactic acid bacteria from endemic food products and assessment of their biotechnological value. The laboratory possesses large collection of well characterized bacteriophages and their host bacteria. The collection includes also lactic bacterial cultures that can be potentially used for construction of dairy starters. The laboratory personnel is highly qualified and is knowledgeable in modern molecular techniques.

Laboratory Personnel:

Nina Chanishvili, PhD – Head of the Laboratory Email: (nina.chanishvili@pha.ge)
Gulnara Natroshvili, PhD – Senior Researcher Email: (gulnara.natroshvili@pha.ge)
Khatuna Makalatia, MSc, PhD student – Senior lab technician Email: (khatuna.makalatia@pha.ge)
Elene Kakabadze, MSc, PhD student – Lab technician Email: (elene.kakabadze@pha.ge)
Nata Bakuradze, MSc, PhD student – Lab technician

Participation in Scientific Grant Projects:

2019-2021 SRNSF # 17-17189 The perspectives of phage therapy for the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Georgian population
2017-2021, Horizon 2020 Project # 767015, “Constructing a ‘Eubiosis Reinstatement Therapy for Asthma”, (Acronym: CURE) (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2015- 2018, ISTC A 2140, “Targeted elimination of MRD Salmonella with bacteriophages” (PI: Nina Chanishvili).
2015-2018, RNSF #/235/250-7/14, “Use Bacteroides fragilis phages for prophylaxis of colon cancer: Assessment of its potential” (PI: N. Chanishvili).

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2016, SRNSF # IG/15/1/16, “Special identification of the cultures related to family Bacteroides and detection of enterotoxin coding gene” (PI: N. Bakuradze).
2015-2016, SRNSF Doctorate Grant # DO/311/7-280/14, “Study of probiotic properties of the lactic acid bacteria isolated in Georgia, their genetic identification and development of data base” ( PI: E. Kakabadze).
2014-2017, SNF, SCOPES, “Bacteriophage therapy for treatment of urinary tract infections: A randomized, placebo supported, double blind, trial” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2014-2016, CRDF Global – BPG -A-60792, “Development of the commercial prototype for dairy products based on use of endemic lactic acid bacteria: – Pilot technological experiments” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2014-2015, RNSF Scholarship for Young Scientists, “Genetic and proteomic characterization of the phages active against Salmonella sp. and E.coli and their use for food safety purposes” (PI: Kh. Makalatia).
2014- 2015, CRDF Global/SRNSF # 60/619, “Georgia Early Career Scholarship Program”: “Selection of the specific bacteriophages for detection of Salmonella and E.coli in water and food” (PI: Kh. Makalatia).
2012- 2015, EU-2011-IAPP-286464, „Design of novel portable sensors based on suspension arrays composed of monoclonal antibody and bacteriophages carrying magnetically loaded nanoparticles and surface enhanced Raman technology” (Acronym: “Nanobacteriophage SERS”) (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2011-2012, ISTC G 1912p, “Development of bacteriophage products as alternative to antibiotics to control bacterial diseases of live stock animals: Stage I – Selection of the promising candidate bacteriophages against Salmonella typhimurium, E.coli, Streptococcus suis and Cl. perfringens” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2008-2009, GRDF 08/07, “Development of the starter for Imeruli cheese” (PI: Nina Chansihvili).
2007-2009, GNSF # 105, “Development of the standard Matsoni starters with health beneficial properties” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2007-2008, ISTC CSP -040, “Improving Network Infrastructure for the GTU and Eliava IBMV Institutes” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2007-2008, NATO-RIG, “Molecular characterization of Salmonella bacteriophages for application to decontaminate Food, Feed and Water” (PI: I. Ediberidze).
2006-2007, 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 publication” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2005-2007, INTAS YS, “Ps. aeruginosa bacteriophages active against mucous strains” (PI: T. Glonti).
2004-2006, INTAS YS 3384, “Development of digital genotyping for the classification of bacteriophages” (PI- M. Merabishvili)
2004, NATO – LST – Defense against Terrorism, Proposed Advanced Research Workshop: “Assessment of preparedness of the Caucasian countries for bio-terrorist attacks and planning of the countermeasures” (PI: N. Chanishvili)
2003-2006, INTAS Open Call 2003, # 5563, “Elaboration of a new strategy for control of the pathogens related to Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile based on application of the specific bacteriophages” (PI: N. Chanishvili)
2003-2006, INTAS Open Call 2003, # 6610, “Application of bacteriophages in preventing of the secondary bacterial infections in cystic fibrosis patients” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2002-2003, NATO Linkage Grant, “Susceptibility of the strains obtained from cystic fibrosis patients to phages” (PI: M. Merabishvili).
2001-2004, RESC –GR2 – 998, “Regional Experimental Support Centers Program – Regional Experimental Center for Applied and Microbiology Research (RECAMBR)” (PI: N. Chanishvili).
2000-2001, CRDF – GAP 857, “Student Support Project” (PI: N. Chansihvili).
1999-2000, ICSC, “World Laboratory Award for the Team Work” (PI: Nina Chanishvili).
1999-2001, INTAS-Georgia, “Bacteriophage – a new approach for combating of the nosocomial respiratory infection caused by Ps. aeruginosa” (PI: N. Chanishvili).

List of Selected Publications:

Issa N. Chanishvili J. Caplin E. Kakabadze N. Bakuradze K. Makalatia I. Coope, Antibiofilm potential of purified environmental bacteriophage preparations against early stage Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms 2019, Journal of Applied Microbiology, https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.14241
İpek Kurtböke A, Nina Chanishvili B and Jeremy J Barr, Bacteriophages, Microbiology Australia, 2019, March
Nina Chanishvili A and Rustam Aminov, Bacteriophage therapy: coping with the growing antibiotic resistance problem.Microbiology Australia, 2019, March
Elene Kakabadze Miriam Zago Lia Rossetti Barbara Bonvini Flavio Tidona Domenico Carminati Nina Chanishvili Giorgio Giraffa, Characterisation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from the Georgian, yogurt like Matsoni. 2019, April, Dairy technology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0307.12589
Lorenz Leitner*, Aleksandre Ujmajuridze, Nina Chanishvili, Marina Goderdzishvili, Ulrich Mehnert, Archil Chkhotua, Wilbert Sybesma, and Thomas M. Kessler, ADAPTED BACTERIOPHAGES FOR TREATING URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS, Journal of Urology, 2019, https://doi.org/10.1097/01.JU.0000556530.61448.e3
W. Sybesma, C. Rohde, P. Bardy, JP. Pirnay, I. Cooper, J. Caplin, N. Chanishvili, A. Coffey, D. De Vos, AH. Scholz, S. McCallin, HM. Püschner, R. Pantucek, R. Aminov, J. Doškař, DI. Kurtbo – Expert Round Table discussion: “Silk Route to the Acceptance and Re-Implementation of Bacteriophage Therapy”, Part II, Antibiotics (Basel), 2018, 7(2). pii: E35. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics7020035.
C. Rohde, G. Resch, JP. Pirnay, BG. Blasdel, L. Debarbieux, D. Gelman, A. Górski, R. Hazan, I. Huys, E. Kakabadze, M. Łobocka, A. Maestri, GMF. Almeida, K. Makalatia, DJ. Malik, I. Mašlaňová, M. Merabishvili, R. Pantucek, T. Rose, D. Štveráková, H. Van Raemdonck, G. Verbeken, N. Chanishvili – Expert Opinion on Three Phage Therapy Related Topics: Bacterial Phage Resistance, Phage Training and Prophages in Bacterial Production Strains, Viruses. 2018, 10(4). pii: E178. doi: 10.3390/v10040178.
E. Kakabadze, K. Makalatia, N. Grdzelishvili, N. Bakuradze, M. Goderdzishvili, I. Kusradze, MF. Phoba, O. Lunguya, C. Lood, R. Lavigne, J. Jacobs, S. Deborggraeve, T. De Block, S. Van Puyvelde, D. Lee, A. Coffey, A. Sedrakyan, P. Soentjens, D. De Vos, JP. Pirnay, N. Chanishvili – “Selection of Potential Therapeutic Bacteriophages that Lyse a CTX-M-15 Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Strain from the Democratic Republic of the Congo”, Viruses, 2018, 10, 172. doi: 10.3390/v10040172.
K. Makalatia, E. Kakabadze, N. Bakuradze, N. Grdzelishvili, G. Natroshvili, N. Chanishvili – “Decontamination Effect of the Eggshells with the Mixture of Salmonella and E.coli Specific Phages”, Bulletin of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, 2018, vol. 12, no. 1, pp.98-104.
D. Gelman, A. Eisenkraft, N. Chanishvili, N. Dean, S. Glazer, R. Hazan – “The History and Promising Future of Phage Therapy in the Military Service”, The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 2018, DOI: 10.1097/TA.0000000000001809.
I. Janashia, Y. Choiset, D. Jozefiak, F. Déniel, E. Coton, A. Moosavi-Movahedi, N. Chanishvili, T. Haertlé – “Beneficial Protective Role of Endogenous Lactic Acid Bacteria Against Mycotic Contamination of Honeybee Beebread”, Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins, 2018, p.1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12602-017-9379-2.

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L. Leitner, W. Sybesma, N. Chanishvili, M. Goderdzishvili, A. Chkhotua, A. Ujmajuridze, M. Schneider, A. Sartori, U. Mehnert, L. Bachmann, T. Kessler – “Bacteriophages for treating urinary tract infections in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clininica trial”, BMC Urology, 2017 17 (1), 90-92.
R. Aminov, J. Caplin, N. Chanishvili, A. Coffey, I. Cooper, D. De Vos, J. Doškař, et al – “Application of bacteriophages”, Microbiology Australia, 38 (2), 63-66.
I. Janashia, Y. Choiset, H. Rabesona, N. Hwanhlem, N. Bakuradze, N. Chanishvili, T. Heartle – “Protection of honeybee Apis mellifera by its endogenous and exogenous lactic flora against bacterial infections”, Annals of Agrarian Science, 2016, 14 (3), 177-181 1.
I. Janashia, D. Carminati, L. Rossetti, M. Zago, M. Fornasari, T. Haertlé, N. Chanishvili, G. Giraffa – “Characterization of fructophilic lactic microbiota of Apis mellifera from Caucasus mountains”, Annals of Microbiology, Microbiol, 2016, 66 (4), 1387-1395, 2016 doi: 10.1007/s13213-016-1226-2.
W. Sybesma, R. Zbinden, N. Chanishvili, M. Kutateladze, A. Chkhotua, A. Ujmajuridze, U. Mehnert, T. Kessler – “Bacteriophages as potential treatment for urinary tract infections”, Frontiers in Microbiology, 2016, 7: 465.
A. Ujmajuridze, 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, 15(3):e265, 2016, Article in European Urology Supplements 15(3):e265, 2016, DOI: 10.1016/S1569-9056(16)60267-1.
Z. Alavidze, R. Aminov, A. Betts, M. Bardiau, J. Caplin, N. Chanishvili, A. Coffey, I. Cooper, J. Doskar, et al – “Silk route to the acceptance and re-implementation of bacteriophage therapy: Expert round table on acceptance and re-implementation of bacteriophage therapy”, Biotechnology Journal, 2016, 11 Doi: 10.1002/biot.201600023.
N. Chanishvili – “Bacteriophage-based Products and Techniques for Identification of Biological Pathogens”, Chapter inNanotechnology to Aid Chemical and Biological Defense, NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology, 2015, pp 17-33.
S.J. Singh, M.C. Smith, P. Radhakrishnan, C. Winstanley, M. Goderdzishvili, N. Chanishvili, A. Kadioglu, C. O’Callaghan, M. Clokie, R. Jane – “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): 353-360. doi:10.1089/jamp.2014.1172.
JP. Pirney, B. Blasdel, L. Bretaudeau, A. Buckling, N. Chanishvili, J. Clark, S. Corte-Real, L. Debarbieux, A. Dublanchet, D. De Vos, J. Gabard, M. Garcia, M. Goderdzishvili, A. Górski, J. Hardcastle, I. Huys, E. Kutter, R. Lavigne, M. Merabishvili, E. Olchawa, K. Parikka, O. Patey, F. Pouilot, G. Resch, C. Rohde, J. Scheres, M. Skurnik, M. Vaneechoutte, L. Van Parys, G. Verbeken, M. Zizi, G. Van den Eede – “Quality and Safety Requirements for Sustainable Phage Therapy Products”, Pharmaceutical Research, 2015, DOI: 10.1007/s11095-014-1617-7.
G. Verbeken, I. Huys, J. Pirnay, S. Jennes, N. Chanishvili, J. Scheres, A. Górski, D. De Vos, C. Ceulemans – “Taking Bacteriophage Therapy Seriously: A Moral Argument”, BioMed Research International, 2014.
M. Merabishvili, C. Verdvae, JP. Pirney, D. De Vos, G. Verbeken, J. Mast, N. Chanishvili, M. Vaneechoutte – “Stability of Staphylococcus aureus Phage ISP after Freeze-Drying (Lyophilization)”, Plos One, 2013, 8(7): e68797.
M. Merabishvili, D. De Vos, G. Verbeken, A. Kropinski, D. Vandenheuvel, R. Lavigne, P. Wattiaeu, J. Mast, C. Ragimbeau, J. Mossong, J. Scheres, N. Chanishvili, M. Vaneechoutte, JP. Pirney – “Selection and characterization of a candidate therapeutic bacteriophages that lyses the E.coli O 104: H4 strain from the 2011 outbreak in Germany”, Plos One, 2012, 7(12): e52709.
N. Chanishvili – “Phage Therapy – History from Twort and d’Herelle Through Soviet Experience to Current Approaches, in the sp. issue: Phage application in medicine and industry”, Antiviral Research (AVR), Elsevier, 2012, Chapter 1, 83:3-40.
N. Chanishvili – “Phage Therapy, In the book: Bacterial Infections: Characteristics, Types and Treatment”, Nova Science Publishers, 2012, Chapter 15.
N. Chanishvili – “A Literature review of the practical application of bacteriophages”, Nova Science Publisher, NY, 2012.
P. Ceyssens, T. Glonti, A. Kropinski, R. Lavigne, N. Chanishvili, L. Kulakov, N. Lashkhi, M. Tediashvili, M. Merabishvili – “Phenotypic and genotypic variations within a single bacteriophage species”, Virology Journal, 2011, 8:134.
JP. Pirney, D. De Vos, G. Verbeken, M. Merabishvili, N. Chanishvili, M. Vaneechoutte, M. Zizi, G. Laire, R. Lavigne, I. Huys, et al – “The Phage Therapy Paradigm: Prêt-à-Porter or Sur-mesure?”, Pharmaceutical Research, 2011, v 28(4), pp.934-937.
N. Chanishvili – “Biological Means Against Bio-Terrorism: Phage Therapy and Prophylaxis Against Pathogenic Bacteria”, In the Book: Biodefence, 2010, Chapter 13, Springer, NATO Science for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology, 2011, Part 3, 125-133, DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0217-2_13.