Laura A. Mike, PhD

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

Education & Training

  • BS, Duke University, 2008
  • PhD, Vanderbilt University, 2013
  • Postdoc: University of Michigan, co-advised by Drs. Harry Mobley and David Sherman

Research Interest Summary

Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacterial cell surface, Host-pathogen interactions, Urinary tract infection, Virulence regulation

Research Interests

The Mike lab is focused on dissecting the molecular mechanisms that bacteria use to sense, adapt, and respond to environmental signals. Klebsiella pneumoniae is a high-priority pathogen typically associated with UTIs, pneumonia, and blood stream infections. We are specifically focused on identifying how K. pneumoniae controls major fitness factors in these different host niches and how that impacts the outcome of infection.

Publications

1. Kinney EL, Stark DJ, Khadka S, Bain W, Mike LA. “Connections between Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream dynamics and serotype-independent capsule properties.” BioRxiv 624485 [Preprint]. Aug 1, 2025: doi:10.1101/2025.08.01.668200

2. Ryan BE, Holmes CL, Shepard GE, Khadka S, Mills E, Van Tyne D, Bachman MA, Mike LA. “Arginine regulates the mucoid phenotype of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae.” Nature Communications. (2025): July 1;16(1):5875 PMID: 40595687

3. Khadka S*, Ring BR*, Walker RS, Krzeminski LR, Pariseau D, Hathaway M, Mobley HLT, Mike LA. “Urine-mediated suppression of Klebsiella pneumoniae mucoidy is counteracted by spontaneous Wzc variants altering capsule chain length.” mSphere, (2023): Aug 23: e0028823. PMID: 37610214 *co-first authors

4. Mike LA, Stark AJ, Forsyth VS, Smith SN, Vornhagen J, Bachman MA, and Mobley HLT. “A systematic analysis of hypermucoviscosity and capsule reveals distinct and overlapping genes that impact Klebsiella pneumoniae fitness.” PLoS Pathogens (2021): 17(3): e1009376. PMID: 33720976

5. Mike LA, Smith SN, Sumner C, Mobley HLT. “Siderophore vaccine conjugates protect against uropathogenic Escherichia coli urinary tract infection.” PNAS, 113 (47), (2016): 13468-13473. PMID: 27821778

Please click here for a complete list of publications.