Joseph Falkinham

Joseph Falkinham is a professor of microbiology in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech and fellow with the Water INTERface IGEP. The Falkinham lab focuses on understanding the epidemiology, ecology, physiology, and genetics of the nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM); primarily the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). NTM are environmental opportunistic pathogens whose source of infection includes soil and drinking water. Lab studies have identified physiologic features of NTM that are determinants of their ecology and transmission to humans: including, surface hydrophobicity, attachment to surfaces, concentration in aerosols, resistance to disinfectants (e.g., chlorine), growth in protozoa and amoebae, and ability to grow on low concentrations of organic matter at low oxygen levels. Thus, NTM are ideally suited for growth and persistence in plumbing in households and hospitals and in medical equipment. Significantly, NTM isolated from patients and their household plumbing share the same DNA fingerprints.  Further, households with well water sources and high hot water heater temperatures seldom have NTM and that carbon-containing, in-line filters, including those in water taps and refrigerators, harbor high numbers of NTM.  Since October 2015, the Falkinham lab has been developing protocols to disinfect heater-coolers, operating room instruments linked to infection by Mycobacterium chimaera and Mycobacterium abscessus. Current laboratory studies involve: (1) investigating the possible role of second homes in NTM infection, (2) studying the behavior of NTM in household water heaters, (3) understanding the role of trehalose in adaptive heat-resistance of NTM, and (4) describing the mechanism of exclusion of NTM from household plumbing by members of the genus Methylobacterium. 

In 2003, Dr. Falkinham received the Gardner Middlebrook Award for his contributions to Mycobacteriology.

In 2015, Dr. Falkinham was elected Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health. 

You can find out more about Dr. Falkinham and his work on his department webpage.