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Nicole M. Parrish, Ph.D.

  • Associate Director, Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical Mycobacteriology
  • Associate Professor of Pathology

Research Interests

Drug development; Diagnostics; Tuberculosis

Background

Dr. Nicole Parrish is an associate professor of pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Parrish serves as the associate director of medical mycobacteriology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Dr. Parrish’s research focuses on characterizing the mechanism of action of a novel class of antimycobacterial compounds, including multi-drug resistant strains. She is studying how to develop new and improved diagnostic tests for detecting mycobacteria in clinical samples.

Dr. Parrish received her undergraduate degree in history and sociology from Shepherd College. She earned her masters in immunology and infectious disease and a Ph.D. in molecular microbiology from Johns Hopkins University. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship in medical microbiology from Johns Hopkins University.

A diplomate of the American Board of Medical Microbiology, Dr. Parrish also serves as an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and for grants given by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease’s grants. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including two patents.

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Titles

  • Associate Director, Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical Mycobacteriology
  • Associate Professor of Pathology

Departments / Divisions

  • Pathology - Medical Microbiology

Centers & Institutes

Education

Degrees

  • Ph.D.; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Maryland) (1999)

Research & Publications

Research Summary

Dr. Parrish’s research is related to tuberculosis, with a particular interest in emerging multi-drug resistant and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis strains. Her research focuses on uncovering novel compounds with potent antimycobacterial activity and developing rapid diagnostics for the detection of drug resistance. She and her team use a variety of methods, including proteomics, protein and lipid biochemistry as well as current molecular techniques.

Selected Publications

Parrish, N.M., F.P. Kuhajda, H.S. Heine, W.R. Bishai, and J.D. Dick. 1999. Antimycobacterial activity of cerulenin and its effects on lipid biosynthesis. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 43: 219-226.

Jones, P.B., N.M. Parrish, T.A. Houston, A. Stapon, N.P. Bansal, J.D. Dick, and C.A.Townsend. 2000. A new class of antituberculosis agents. J. Med. Chem. 43(17): 3304-14.

Parrish, N.M, C. Townsend, P. Jones, T. Houston, and J. Dick. 2001. In vitro activity of a novel antimycobacterial compound, N-octanesulfonylacetamide, and its effects on lipid and mycolic acid synthesis. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 45:1143-1150.

Parrish, N.M., C.A. Townsend, C.G. Ko, and J.D. Dick. 2004. Effect of n-Octanesulfonylacetamide (OSA) on ATP and protein expression in Mycobacterium bovis BCG. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 54(4): 722-9.

Parrish, N.M., C.A. Townsend, C.G. Ko, and J.D. Dick. 2004. Congo red agar colony morphotypes and antibiotic susceptibility testing of M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis. 2004. Clinical Medicine and Research. 2: 107-114.

Hendry C, Dionne K, Hedgepeth A, Carroll K, and Parrish N. “Evaluation of a Rapid, Fluorescent Stain for the Detection of Mycobacteria in Clinical Specimens”. J. Clin. Microbiol. April 2009; 47(4): 1206-1208.

Parrish N, Dionne K, Sweeney A, Hedgepeth A, and Carroll K. “Differences in Time to Detection and Recovery of Mycobacterium species between the MGIT 960 and the BacT/ALERT MB Automated Culture Systems.” Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 2009; 63(3): 342-345.

Parrish NM, Radcliff RP, Brey BJ, Anderson JL, Clark DL Jr, Koziczkowski JJ, Ko CG, Goldberg ND, Brinker DA, Carlson RA, Dick JD, Ellingson JL. “Absence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Crohn's patients.” Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009 Apr;15(4):558-65.

Parrish N and Carroll K. “Importance of improved TB diagnostics in addressing the extensively drug-resistant TB crisis.” Future Microbiol. 2008 Aug;3: 405-413.

Parrish N, Osterhout G, Dionne K, Sweeney A, Kwiatkowski N, Carroll K, Jost KC, Jr, and Dick J. “A Rapid, Standardized, Susceptibility Method for Mycobacterium tuberculosis using Mycolic Acid Analysis.” J Clin. Micro. Dec 2007; 45: 3915-3920

Parrish, N.M., J. D. Dick and W.R. Bishai. 1998. Mechanisms of latency in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Trends in Microbiology. 6: 107-112. 

Contact for Research Inquiries

600 North Wolfe Street
Meyer B1-193
Baltimore, MD 21287 map

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Activities & Honors

Honors

  • Diplomate, American Board of Medical Microbiology
  • Member, Delta Omega Honorary Public Health Society
  • President, Graduate Student Association
  • Excellence In Basic Research Award, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
  • Patent for “Synthesis of novel compounds for the treatment of mycobacteria"
  • Patent for "Use of octanoic acid for the enhancement of growth in mycobacteria”
  • Otis and Calista Causey Honorary Fellowship
  • ARCS Scholar (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists)
  • Delta Omega Research Award
  • Becton Dickinson Centennial Fellowship in Clinical Microbiology

Professional Activities

  • Ad Hoc reviewer, Journal of Clinical Microbiology
  • Ad Hoc reviewer, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIH) grants
  • Alumni Council, Johns Hopkins University
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