University Letter

UND's faculty and staff newsletter

May 16: ‘The Battle of Infection: Antibiotic Resistance vs. Novel Antimicrobials

Y. Peter Di
Y. Peter Di

Y. Peter Di, from the University of Pittsburgh, will present a seminar titled “The Battle of Infection: Antibiotic Resistance vs Novel Antimicrobials” at noon Wednesday, May 16, W201 School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

Y. Peter Di is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Director of Inhalation Exposure Facility, and Chair of Chemical and Hygiene Safety Committee at the University of Pittsburgh.

His research focuses on the cellular and molecular actions of environmental or occupational exposures to toxic chemicals and microorganisms that underlie the pathogenesis of chronic human lung diseases including asthma, respiratory infection, COPD, sleep disorder, and lung cancer. Di’s lab provided influential identification and characterization of a novel lung epithelial cell-specific secretory protein, SPLUNC1, and its roles in respiratory infection and pulmonary diseases. His research program has been continuously supported by multiple funding agencies and private foundations including NIH (NHLBI, NIAID, NIEHS, NCI, and NIA), AHA, ALA, CFF, TRDRP, and FAMRI, In addition, his translational research projects have also won several awards including Pitt Innovator, I-Corp, and the first place commercialization award. Di has contributed significantly to the recent development of natural and engineered antimicrobial peptides to overcome the emerging and challenging multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infection. His laboratory studies the mechanisms of lung pathophysiology to provide a rational basis for the development of new approaches to treat pulmonary diseases.