Dr. Gyan S Sahukhal

• Position: Assistant Professor
• Department: Biology
• Office Location: Building 58, Room 62E
• gsahukhal@uwf.edu
• Campus: 8504742169

Biography

Dr. Gyan Sahukhal is an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of West Florida. He is a microbiologist whose research focuses on bacterial pathogenesis, biofilm formation, antimicrobial tolerance and persistence, and host–pathogen interactions, with particular expertise in Staphylococcus aureus.

His research investigates how bacterial regulatory networks control virulence, biofilm development, stress adaptation, and survival during infection. A major focus of his work has been understanding global regulators such as MsaB and SarA and identifying new strategies to disrupt biofilms and improve the effectiveness of existing antimicrobial therapies. His research also explores bacterial persister cells, intracellular survival, and mechanisms that allow pathogens to withstand host defenses and antimicrobial treatment.

Dr. Sahukhal has extensive experience in basic and translational infectious disease research. Before joining UWF, he conducted research in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where his work centered on Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis and the development of novel anti-biofilm approaches. His research has contributed to the development and evaluation of small-molecule compounds designed to target bacterial regulatory pathways involved in biofilm-associated and chronic infections.

In addition to his research, Dr. Sahukhal is passionate about teaching and mentoring students in microbiology, microbial pathogenesis, molecular biology, and infectious disease research. He aims to integrate current scientific discoveries, experimental approaches, and real-world biomedical problems into the classroom while providing students with opportunities to develop critical thinking and scientific research skills.

His long-term research goal is to better understand the molecular mechanisms that enable bacterial pathogens to establish persistent infections and to translate those discoveries into innovative strategies for preventing and treating difficult-to-eradicate bacterial infections.

Degrees & Institutions

• Ph.D., Biological Sciences — University of Southern Mississippi 2014
• M.Sc., Microbiology — Tribhuvan University, Nepal 2004
• B.Sc., Microbiology — Tribhuvan University, Nepal, 2002

Research

Dr. Sahukhal’s research focuses on bacterial pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance and tolerance, biofilm-associated infections, bacterial persistence, and host–pathogen interactions, with particular expertise in Staphylococcus aureus. His laboratory is interested in understanding the molecular and regulatory mechanisms that allow bacterial pathogens to establish chronic and difficult-to-treat infections.

A major area of his research investigates global regulatory networks that control bacterial virulence, biofilm formation, stress adaptation, cell-envelope physiology, and survival during infection. His work has particularly examined the roles of the MsaABCR regulatory system, MsaB, and SarA in Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis. He also studies bacterial persister cells, antimicrobial tolerance, intracellular survival, and mechanisms that enable pathogens to withstand host immune defenses and antibiotic treatment.

An important translational goal of Dr. Sahukhal’s research is the development of new strategies to prevent or disrupt bacterial biofilms and improve the effectiveness of existing antimicrobial therapies. His work includes identifying and evaluating small-molecule inhibitors of bacterial regulatory pathways, studying combination therapies with conventional antibiotics, and developing approaches for difficult-to-treat biofilm-associated infections involving medical devices, wounds, and other chronic infection settings.

Dr. Sahukhal’s research integrates microbiology, molecular biology, bacterial genetics, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, biofilm models, cell culture, and in vivo infection models. His long-term goal is to translate fundamental discoveries in microbial pathogenesis into innovative therapeutic and preventive approaches for combating persistent bacterial infections.

Special Interests

Dr. Sahukhal has special interests in translational microbiology, antimicrobial and antibiofilm drug discovery, bacterial persistence, and the development of innovative strategies to combat chronic and device-associated infections. He is also strongly interested in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in research, promoting hands-on scientific training, and connecting basic microbiology discoveries with therapeutic development and biotechnology innovation.

Publications

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (Selected)
(Full publication list available upon request — 26 publications total)

1. Campbell MJ, Beenken KE, Spencer HJ, Jayana B, Hester H, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO, Smeltzer
   MS. Comparative evaluation of small molecules reported to be inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus
   biofilm formation. Microbiology Spectrum. 2024.
2. Bibek GC, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO. Delineating the role of the msaABCR operon in staphylococcal
   overflow metabolism. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2022.
   
   
3. Pandey S, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO. The msaABCR operon regulates persister formation by
   modulating energy metabolism in Staphylococcus aureus. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2021.
   
   
4. Sahukhal GS, Tucci M, Wilson GA, Benghuzzi H, Elasri MO. Role of msaABCR operon in chronic
   osteomyelitis pathogenesis in USA300 LAC. BMC Microbiology. 2020.
   
   
5. Rom JS, Ramirez A, Beenken KE, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO, Smeltzer MS. Impacts of msaABCR
   on sarA-associated phenotypes in divergent clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Infection
   and Immunity. 2020.
   
   
6. Bibek GC, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO. Role of the msaABCR operon in cell wall biosynthesis,
   autolysis, integrity, and antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial Agents and
   Chemotherapy. 2019.
   
   
7. Pandey S, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO. The msaABCR operon regulates the response to oxidative
   stress in Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of Bacteriology. 2019.
   
   
8. Batte JL, Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO. MsaB and CodY interact to regulate capsule in a nutrient-
   dependent manner. Journal of Bacteriology. 2018.
   
   
9. Sahukhal GS, Pandey S, Elasri MO. msaABCR operon is involved in persister cell formation in
   Staphylococcus aureus. BMC Microbiology. 2017.
   
   
10. Sahukhal GS, Batte JL, Elasri MO. msaABCR operon positively regulates biofilm development by
    repressing proteases and autolysis in Staphylococcus aureus. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 2015.
    
    
11. Sahukhal GS, Elasri MO. Identification and characterization of an operon, msaABCR, that controls
    virulence and biofilm development in Staphylococcus aureus. BMC Microbiology. 2014.