Robert Akins

projects
Microbiomics (ongoing)
Microbiomics, Antifungal resistance (ongoing)

Faculty Profile

Professor
aa3732@wayne.edu

Phone

313-577-0419

Position Title

 Professor | Director of the BMI/BMB MS Program

Education

Ph.D. Microbiology, Ohio State University, 1982

Faculty Appointments

 Professor, Dept of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Medicine

Graduate

Accepting new MS students in 2024: Yes (IM, BMB)
Accepting new PhD students in 2024: No

Laboratory Web Site

 https://biochemmicroimmuno.med.wayne.edu/profile/aa3732

Links of Interest

Pubmed Publications

Office Location

234 Lande

Research Focus

Vaginal microbiome in health and disease
The vaginal mucosa is composed of perhaps hundreds of bacterial species, many of which have not yet been cultured or identified. These populations shift for unknown reasons, from healthy compositions to those that cause disease such as bacterial vaginosis (BV). Different profiles of species lead to complications ranging from recurrence, failed response to treatment, or risk of pre-term birth. Our project seeks to describe the dynamics of populations as they transition to disease, and to identify species or groups that pose the highest risk for complications, including those that impose greater risks for cervical cancer. We are testing models for causes of the microbial progression from BV to cure to recurrence. We are developing a BV diagnostic and prognostic device.

Fungal exosomes
Extracellular vesicles (EV’s) and a subgroup of these called exosomes are subjects of a relatively new field of study that have cause a rethinking of how cells communicate and promote disease. Cells across all kingdoms generate EV’s, and they play important yet not fully understood roles in cancer progression, infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, malaria, and mycoses, neurodegenerative disease, and many other areas. Candida, a major fungal pathogen, has recently been shown to generate EV’s with discrete protein and RNA cargo that may influence immune cells and survival in model systems. Their clinical potential for fungal infections is vast, because they may be produced in much larger numbers than the fungal cells themselves, because they likely disseminate to blood, saliva, urine for non-invasive detection, because they may carry RNA or protein cargo that distinguishes colonization from infection and possibly antifungal resistance information, and because they may be engineered to target antifungal therapies or for vaccine development. We are asking which stress conditions generate EV’s, whether they impact on the phenotype of other cells in the population, what protein and RNA cargo they carry, with the goal of defining diagnostic targets, and to begin testing whether vesicles in this fraction can be loaded with antifungals for targeted delivery to fungal cells.

Molecular fungal diagnostics
Fungal infections are prevalent and prone to recurrence (vaginal) or have high morbidity (systemic). Their diagnosis by conventional culture is a problem, due to poor culture efficiency, slow growth rates, and low titer, so that diagnosis often occurs too late for effective treatment. We are developing and are validating molecular tools for their high throughput, quantitative identification directly from samples.

Antifungal drug resistance in Candida albicans
This opportunistic yeast pathogen is resourceful and diverse in finding ways to evade inhibition by antifungal agents. These include mutation in target genes, mutational or regulatory activation of target and compensatory pathways, drug efflux, and unknown mechanisms. We are looking at mechanism by which this yeast induces high frequency loss of heterozygosity as an adaptive mechanism. We developed an overexpression system for identification of genes that alter antifungal susceptibility and are inventorying these genes and their effects by RT-qPCR and microarray.

Mitochondrial responses to antifungal stress
Candida albicans is typically unable to survive without its mitochondrial genome and functions, unlike S. cerevisiae. We have initiated a new project that examines how mitochondrial copy number and genome integrity changes in response to antifungal and other stresses, and whether this response plays a role in tolerance and persistence and represents a potentially new target of next generation antifungals.

Publications

  • Mollin A, Katta M, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Association of key species of vaginal bacteria of recurrent bacterial vaginosis patients before and after oral metronidazole therapy with short- and long-term clinical outcomes. PLoS One. 2022;17(7):e0272012. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272012. eCollection 2022. PubMed PMID: 35901180; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9333308.
  • Sobel JD, Akins R. Determining Susceptibility in Candida Vaginal Isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2022 Jun 21;66(6):e0236621. doi: 10.1128/aac.02366-21. Epub 2022 May 23. PubMed PMID: 35604210; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9211391.
  • Surapaneni S, Akins R, Sobel JD. Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis: An Unmet Therapeutic Challenge. Experience With a Combination Pharmacotherapy Long-Term Suppressive Regimen. Sex Transm Dis. 2021 Oct 1;48(10):761-765. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001420. PubMed PMID: 34110746; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8460079.
  • Turner E, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Prognosis of recurrent bacterial vaginosis based on longitudinal changes in abundance of Lactobacillus and specific species of Gardnerella. PLoS One. 2021;16(8):e0256445. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256445. eCollection 2021. PubMed PMID: 34424942; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC8382169.
  • Sobel JD, Kaur N, Woznicki NA, Boikov D, Aguin T, Gill G, Akins RA. Conventional oral and secondary high dose vaginal metronidazole therapy for recurrent bacterial vaginosis: clinical outcomes, impacts of sex and menses. Infect Drug Resist. 2019;12:2297-2307. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S213853. eCollection 2019. PubMed PMID: 31413606; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6661983.
  • Sobel JD, Kaur N, Woznicki NA, Boikov D, Aguin T, Gill G, Akins RA. Prognostic Indicators of Recurrence of Bacterial Vaginosis. J Clin Microbiol. 2019 May;57(5). doi: 10.1128/JCM.00227-19. Print 2019 May. PubMed PMID: 30842235; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6498020.
  • Sobel JD, Akins RA. The Role of PCR in the Diagnosis of Candida Vulvovaginitis-a New Gold Standard?. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2015 Jun;17(6):488. doi: 10.1007/s11908-015-0488-3. PubMed PMID: 26003471.
  • Aguin T, Akins RA, Sobel JD. High-dose vaginal maintenance metronidazole for recurrent bacterial vaginosis: a pilot study. Sex Transm Dis. 2014 May;41(5):290-1. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000000123. PubMed PMID: 24722380.
  • Aguin TJ, Akins RA, Sobel JD. High-dose vaginal metronidazole for recurrent bacterial vaginosis--a pilot study. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2014 Apr;18(2):156-61. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0b013e31829a5558. PubMed PMID: 23994951.
  • Lambert JA, John S, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Longitudinal analysis of vaginal microbiome dynamics in women with recurrent bacterial vaginosis: recognition of the conversion process. PLoS One. 2013;8(12):e82599. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082599. eCollection 2013. PubMed PMID: 24376552; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3869700.
  • Lambert JA, Kalra A, Dodge CT, John S, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Novel PCR-based methods enhance characterization of vaginal microbiota in a bacterial vaginosis patient before and after treatment. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2013 Jul;79(13):4181-5. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01160-13. Epub 2013 Apr 26. PubMed PMID: 23624483; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3697572.
  • Lamont RF, Sobel JD, Akins RA, Hassan SS, Chaiworapongsa T, Kusanovic JP, Romero R. The vaginal microbiome: new information about genital tract flora using molecular based techniques. BJOG. 2011 Apr;118(5):533-49. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02840.x. Epub 2011 Jan 20. Review. PubMed PMID: 21251190; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3055920.
  • Aguin TJ, Akins RA, Sobel JD. High-dose vaginal metronidazole for recurrent bacterial vaginosis--a pilot study. J Low Genit Tract Dis. 2014 Apr;18(2):156-61. doi: 10.1097/LGT.0b013e31829a5558. PubMed PMID: 23994951.
  • Lambert JA, John S, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Longitudinal analysis of vaginal microbiome dynamics in women with recurrent bacterial vaginosis: recognition of the conversion process. PLoS One. 2013;8(12):e82599. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082599. eCollection 2013. PubMed PMID: 24376552; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3869700.
  • Lambert JA, Kalra A, Dodge CT, John S, Sobel JD, Akins RA. Novel PCR-based methods enhance characterization of vaginal microbiota in a bacterial vaginosis patient before and after treatment. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2013 Jul;79(13):4181-5. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01160-13. Epub 2013 Apr 26. PubMed PMID: 23624483; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3697572.
  • Lamont RF, Sobel JD, Akins RA, Hassan SS, Chaiworapongsa T, Kusanovic JP, Romero R. The vaginal microbiome: new information about genital tract flora using molecular based techniques. BJOG. 2011 Apr;118(5):533-49. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2010.02840.x. Epub 2011 Jan 20. Review. PubMed PMID: 21251190; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3055920.

Research Description

Dr. Akins’ research focuses on the molecular microbiology of vaginal disorders, bacterial vaginosis and vaginal candidiasis. In collaboration with Dr. Sobel, we are identifying species in recurrent bacterial vaginosis patients associated with patient outcome following treatment, assessing the role of mitochondria in vaginal Candida species in response to azoles, and investigating whether communication via extracellular vesicles plays a role in the adaptability of Candida albicans.

Affiliated Departments

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