Skip to content

Nick Laboratory

nick lab banner - group image

Bringing new and interesting ideas to improve the health of Cystic Fibrosis patients by using cutting edge basic and translational research.

Please feel free to reach out to anyone on our team for questions

The Nick Lab focuses on research in cystic fibrosis (CF). Cystic Fibrosis is cause by mutations in the CFTR gene and is the most common inherited disease in the western world. During their course of their lives, people with CF (pwCF) present with increased inflammation, persistent neutrophil accumulation in the airways and chronic bacterial infections of the lungs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are the most predominant bacteria in adult with CF. However, infections with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have been steadily increasing in the CF population.  

Our primary interest is NTM disease in the context of CF. We are actively seeking to improve diagnosis, treatment, and eradication of NTM in CF. We are leading or helping to conduct trials focusing on the detection of NTM, the diagnosis of NTM disease, and novel treatment of the infection.

Additionally, we are interested in the mechanisms that allow for survival of M. abscessus in the environment, the immune response to NTM, and the changes of the immune and inflammation response to antibiotic treatment during exacerbations in the era of modulator therapy.

Research Spotlight

The Nick Lab coordinates the study: "Human Blood Product Isolation for Studies of Inflammation and Host Defense." The study is more commonly known as “Blood Prep,” which provides investigators at NJH and the University of Colorado to study ex vivo leukocytes and other blood products from Healthy adult volunteers. Please see the resources tab for more information.

The Nick Lab also help facilitate and coordinate studies of NTM biomarkers by providing clinical samples and isolates linked to prospective NTM diagnostic and treatment trials. Learn More

 

cell diagramNick et al., 2022, Host and pathogen response to bacteriophage engineered against Mycobacterium abscessus lung infection, Cell 185, 1860–1874 May 26, 2022 ª 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.024 Resources & Services

Jerry A. Nick

Jerry A. Nick, MD

 

Current Projects & Grant Information

  • PATIENCE Trial: Prospective Algorithm for Treatment of NTM in Cystic Fibrosis (NCT02419989)
  • PREDICT Trial: Prospective Evaluation of NTM Disease in CF (NCT02073409)
  • Prospective Longitudinal Assessment of Culture-Independent Molecular Airway Markers of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria” R01 HL146228 (Co-PI: Jane Hill)
  • PAINLESS Trial: Prospective AnalysIs of uriNe LAM to Eliminate NTM Sputum Screening  (NCT04579211)
  • ABATE Trial: A Phase 1b, Multi-center Study of IV Gallium Nitrate in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis who are Colonized with Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (R01 FD006848)  (MPI: Goss, Nick, Singh)
  • HALT NTM Study: Healthcare Associated Links in Transmission of NTM in Patients with CF (NCT04024423) (PI- Jane Gross)
  • Genetic Basis of an Environmental Survival Phenotype for M. abscessus
  • Protocol For Bacteriophage Treatment of Mycobacteria abscessus through An Investigational New Drug Application (IND)
  • PIVOT Trial: Prospective evaluatIon of saliVa cOmpared to sputum.
  • NTM Biomarker Pilot: A cross-platform comparison of novel markers of NTM in the CF airway
  • Observational trial of the longitudinal effects of cystic fibrosis transmembrane reductance regulator (CFTR) modulator drugs – Prospectively identifying longitudinal changes in inflammation and sputum microbiology before and after CFTR modulator therapy.
  • Bacterial Profiling: Identifying antibiotic-resistant genes in sputum to predict clinical responses to antibiotic treatment during exacerbation.

   

Personnel

  • Principal Investigator
    Jerry A. Nick, MD
  • Assistant Professor
    Ken Malcolm, PhD
  • Senior Lab Researchers
    Katie Poch, BS
    Silvia Caceres, MS
    Noel Rysavy, MS
  • Lab Researcher
    Emily Wheeler
  • Fellows
    Kara Calhoun, MD, MPH

 

Collaborators

Kenneth C. Malcolm, PhD
Milene Saavedra, MD
Katherine Hisert, MD, PhD
Jane E. Gross, MD, PhD
Rebecca Davidson, PhD
Brian Day, PhD
Jennifer Honda, PhD

Publications

View All Publications

  • Dedrick RM, Smith BE, Cristinziano M, Freeman KG, Jacobs-Sera D, Belessis Y, Whitney Brown A, Cohen KA, Davidson RM, van Duin D, Gainey A, Garcia CB, Robert George CR, Haidar G, Ip W, Iredell J, Khatami A, Little JS, Malmivaara K, McMullan BJ, Michalik DE, Moscatelli A, Nick JA, Tupayachi Ortiz MG, Polenakovik HM, Robinson PD, Skurnik M, Solomon DA, Soothill J, Spencer H, Wark P, Worth A, Schooley RT, Benson CA, Hatfull GF. Phage Therapy of Mycobacterium Infections: Compassionate Use of Phages in 20 Patients With Drug-Resistant Mycobacterial Disease. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Jan 6;76(1):103-112. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac453. PubMed PMID: 35676823; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9825826.