Dr. Jan Dahl
Associate Professor of Microbiology & Dr. Fred Gletten Endowed Chair of Biological Sciences
Office
SLB Science Laboratory Building 342
Office Hours
T & Th 11 am - 12 pm
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Biography
Dr. Jan-Ulrik Dahl received his Diplom (M.Sc. equivalent) in Biochemistry and Ph.D. in Molecular Enzymology from the University of Potsdam in Germany. He completed his postdoctoral training in Microbiology at the University of Michigan.
Current Courses
BSC 495.004 Graduate Research In Biological Sciences
BSC 299.011 Independent Honor Study
BSC 499.025 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis
BSC 499.225 Independent Research For The Master's Thesis Last Term
BSC 290.053 Research In Biological Sciences
BSC 599.025 Research In The Biological Sciences
Teaching Interests & Areas
Microbiology, Microbial Pathogenesis, Biochemistry
Research Interests & Areas
My lab is broadly studies how bacteria respond to stress, particularly oxidative stress. We use a combination of genetic, biochemical, and microbiological approaches to study redox-regulated stress defense strategies in gram-negative pathogens. Our goal is to determine the role of these processes in host defense and to identify potential novel drug targets. Targeting players involved in these processes has the potential to increase the susceptibility of the pathogens to immune defense and thus could make clearance by the innate immune system more efficient. We also characterize novel antimicrobials and examine how bacterial pathogens influence each other.
Post-Doc
University of Michigan (2014-2018)
Ann Arbor
Ph D
University of Potsdam (2010-2013)
Germany
MS
University of Potsdam (2010)
Germany
University Research Initiative Award
Illinois State University
2022
Peggy Cotter Award
American Society for Microbiology
2022
Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
German Research Foundation (DFG)
2014
International Teaching Professionals
University of Potsdam Graduate School
2011
Grants and Contracts
DAAD RISE Fellowship for Magdalena Urlaub
Jan Dahl, Magdalena Urlaub.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). June 15 2024 - September 14 2024
5R03AI174033-02: Characterizing the interplay of a novel reactive oxygen species-producing antimicrobial and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Jan Dahl.
National Institutes of Health. July 1 2023 - June 30 2025
A Pilot Study on the Prevalence and Rise of Antibiotic-Resistant Genes as well as the hunt for new antibiotics in Urban and Rural Illinois
Jan Dahl, Pallavi Singh.
IL Innovation Network. August 1 2023 - July 31 2023
DAAD RISE Fellowship for Maren Katharina Naudszus
Jan Dahl, Maren Katharina Naudszus.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). June 15 2023 - September 14 2023
FRA: The role of polyphosphate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mediated killing of Staphylococcus aureus
Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Illinois State University. July 1 2023 - June 30 2024
DAAD RISE Fellowship for Lisa Pfirsching
Jan Dahl, Lisa Pfirsching.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). August 1 2022 - October 31 2022
MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope to Advance Multidisciplinary Research and Education
Mahua Biswas, Uttam Manna, Tenley Banik, Jan Dahl, Jun-Hyun Kim.
National Science Foundation. September 1 2021 - August 31 2024
PFIG: Analyzing the Stimulatory Effect of Bleach on Bacterial Biofilm Formation
Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Illinois State University. July 1 2021 - June 30 2022
R15AI164585-A1: Redox-regulation in Gram-negative Bacteria
Jan Dahl.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). June 1 2021 - May 31 2024
NFIG: Identifying Defense Strategies of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) to a novel Antimicrobial
Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Illinois State University. July 1 2020 - June 30 2021
Journal Article
A Novel Silver-Ruthenium-Based Antimicrobial Kills Gram-Negative Bacteria Through Oxidative Stress-Induced Macromolecular Damage
Patrick Ofori Tawiah, Luca Finn Gaessler, Greg M Anderson, Emmanuel Parkay Oladokun, Jan Dahl.
mSphere, 10 (6), e0001725, (2025), 10.1128/msphere.00017-25
Bakterielle Schutzmechanismen gegen Hypochlorige Säure
Jan Dahl.
BIOspektrum, 05/2025 (05/2025), (2025), 10.1007/s12268-025-2525-6
Unlocking enhanced efficacy of aminoglycoside antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Patrick Ofori Tawiah, Sadia Sultana, Jan Dahl.
Journal of Microbial Biotechnology, 18 (6), e70174, (2025), 10.1111/1751-7915.70174
Lipidomics of homeoviscous adaptation to low temperatures in Staphylococcus aureus utilizing exogenous straight-chain unsaturated fatty acids
Shannon Barbarek, Ritika Shah, Sharanya Paul, Gloria Alvarado, Keerthi Appalla, Caiden Phillips, Emma C Henderson, Evan T Strandquist, Antje Pokorny, Vineet Singh, Craig Gatto, Jan Dahl, Kelly M Hines, Brian J Wilkinson.
Journal of Bacteriology, 209 (7), e0018724, (2024), 10.1128/jb.00187-24
The role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa polyphosphate for the killing of Staphylococcus aureus
Ritika Shah, Julius Kwesi Nhar, Magdalena Urlaub, Olivia Jankiewicz, Colton Johnson, Barry Livingston, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
mSphere, 9 (10), e0068624, (2024), 10.1128/msphere.00686-24
A Social Media Intervention for Promoting Oral Health Behaviors in Adolescents: A Non-Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial
Susana Calderon, Carissa Comnick, Alyssa Willhurnt, Theresa Marshall, Jan Dahl, Jeffrey Banas, David Drake.
Oral MDPI, (2023), 10.3390/oral3020018
A Year at the Forefront of Bacterial Defense Systems Against Neutrophilic Oxidants
Sadia Sultana, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Biology Open, 12 (4), bio059809, (2023), 10.1242/bio.059809
A novel ruthenium-silver based antimicrobial potentiates aminoglycoside activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Gracious Yoofi Donkor, Gregory M Anderson, Michael Stadler, Patrick Ofori Tawiah, Carl D Orellano, Kevin Andrew Edwards, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
mSphere, 8 (5), e0019023, (2023), 10.1128/msphere.00190-23
Expression of RcrB confers resistance to hypochlorous acid in uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Mary E Crompton, Luca F Gaessler, Patrick Ofori Tawiah, Lisa Pfirsching, Sydney K Camfield, Grady Jacobson, Maren Katharina Naudszus, Colton Johnson, Kennadi Meurer, Mehdi Bennis, Brendan Roseberry, Sadia Sultana, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Journal of Bacteriology, 205 (10), e0006423, (2023), 10.1128/jb.00064-23
Redox-mediated inactivation of the transcriptional repressor RcrR is responsible for uropathogenic Escherichia coli's increased resistance to reactive chlorine species
Sadia Sultana, Kennadi LeDoux, Mary Crompton, Olivia Jankiewicz, Grace Morales, Colton Johnson, Elise Horbach, Kevin Hoffmann, Pooja KR, Ritika Shah, Greg Anderson, Nathan Mortimer, Maria Hadjifrangiskou, Alessandro Foti, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
mBio, 13 (5), e0192622, (2022), 10.1101/2021.08.31.458474
Quantification of protein aggregation in vivo
Sadia Sultana, Greg M. Anderson, Kevin Pierre Hoffmann, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Journal of Visualized Experiments, 172, 10.3791/62628, (2021), 10.3791/62628.
Bacterial Defense Systems against the Neutrophilic Oxidant Hypochlorous Acid
Sadia Sultana, Alessandro Foti, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Infection and Immunity, 88 (7), e00964-19, (2020), 10.1128/IAI.00964-19
Alkyl Pyridinol compounds exhibit antimicrobial effects against Gram-positive bacteria.
Juan Canchola, Gracious Yoofi Donkor, Patrick Ofori Tawiah, Aayoola Fasawe, Emmanuel (Emma) Ayim, Martin Engelke, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Antibiotics, 13 (9), 897, 10.3390/antibiotics13090897
Presentations
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive oxygen and chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
Thiol-based redox switches: From chemistry to physiology and pathology, Sant Feliu de Guixols, September 16, 2025
The role of polyphosphate for the interaction between two major opportunistic pathogens
Jan Dahl.
PolyP 2025, Ann Arbor, May 22, 2025
Characterizing the role of polyphosphate during membrane stress
Jan Dahl, Julius Kwesi Narh.
PolyP 2025, Ann Arbor, May 20, 2025
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive oxygen and chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
U Ottawa Medical School seminar, Ottawa, April 15, 2025
The role of polyphosphate in Pseudomonas aeruginosa mediated killing of Staphylococcus aureus
Jan Dahl.
VAAM Annual Conference 2025, Bochum, March 24, 2025
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, September 26, 2024
Pseudomonas aeruginosa kills Staphylococcus aureus in a polyphosphate-dependent manner
Julius Kwesi Narh, Ritika Shah, Magdalena Urlaub, Olivia Jankiewicz, Colton Johnson, Barry Livingston, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phages, Madison, WI, USA, August 8, 2024
Pseudomonas aeruginosa kills Staphylococcus aureus in a polyphosphate-dependent manner
Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Molecular Genetics of Bacteria and Phages, Madison, WI, USA, August 7, 2024
Characterizing the stress responses elicited by uropathogenic E. coli in response to AGXX
Patrick Tawiah, Carl D Orellano, Luca Gaessler, Lisa Polzer, Kevin-Pierre Hoffmann, Emmanuel Oladokun, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Molecular Genetics of Bacteria & Phages, Madison, August 6, 2024
Characterizing the stress responses elicited by uropathogenic E. coli in response to AGXX
Patrick Tawiah, Carl D Orellano, Luca Gaessler, Lisa Polzer, Kevin-Pierre Hoffmann, Emmanuel Oladokun, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Gordon Research Conference on Thiol-Based Redox Regulation and Signaling, Barcelona, July 17, 2024
The Increased Resistance of Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli to Reactive Chlorine Species and Phagocytosis is Mediated by the Membrane Protein RcrB
Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Gordon Research Conference on Thiol-based Redox Regulation and Signaling, Barcelona, Spain, July 17, 2024
Characterizing the stress responses elicited by uropathogenic E. coli in response to AGXX
Patrick Tawiah, Carl D Orellano, Luca Gaessler, Lisa Polzer, Kevin-Pierre Hoffmann, Emmanuel Oladokun, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Gordon Research Seminar on Thiol-Based Redox Regulation and Signaling, Barcelona, July 14, 2024
Pseudomonas aeruginosa kills Staphylococcus aureus in a polyphosphate-dependent manner
Julius Kwesi Narh, Ritika Shah, Magdalena Urlaub, Olivia Jankiewicz, Colton Johnson, Barry Livingston, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Annual Conference VAAM, Wuerzburg, Germany, June 6, 2024
Utilizing a novel reactive oxygen species-generating antimicrobial to potentiate antibiotics
Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2024 Annual Conference VAAM, Wuerzburg, Germany, June 4, 2024
The effects of reactive oxygen and chlorine species on Gram-negative bacteria and their defense systems
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series UIP Medical School, Peoria, March 21, 2024
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series Department of Biological Sciences, Atlanta, March 4, 2024
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series Cancer, Inflammation & Infectious Disease Institute, North Chicago, February 14, 2024
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago, February 12, 2024
Bacterial responses to and defenses against reactive chlorine species
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series Department of Biology, Cincinnati, February 8, 2024
The effects of reactive oxygen and chlorine species on Gram-negative bacteria and their defense systems
Jan Dahl.
Seminar series Department of Microbiology, Munich, January 16, 2024
Characterizing the role of Pseudomonas aeruginosa polyphosphate for the killing of Staphylococcus aureus
Ritika Shah, Olivia Jakiewicz, Colton Johnson, Barry Livingston, Wendy Williams, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2023 Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference, Chicago, IL, October 21, 2023
Deciphering Uropathogenic Escherichia coli’s Resistance to the Neutrophilic Antimicrobial Hypochlorous Acid
Sadia Sultana, Mary Crompton, Kennadi Meurer, Olivia Jankiewicz, Alessandro Foti, Charlie Jackson, Luca Gaessler, Sydney K Camfield, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2023 Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Conference, Chicago IL, October 21, 2023
Characterizing the stress responses elicited by uropathogenic E. coli in response to AGXX
Patrick Tawiah, Carl D Orellano, Luca Gaessler, Lisa Polzer, Kevin-Pierre Hoffmann, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2023 Midwest Microbial Pathogenesis Meeting, Chicago IL, October 21, 2023
The membrane protein RcrB provides protection to uropathogenic E. coli during phagocytosis and exposure to neutrophilic oxidants
Mehdi Bennis, Sadia Sultana, Mary Crompton, Kennadi Meurer, Olivia Jankiewicz, Alessandro Foti, Jan-Ulrik Dahl, Charlie Jackson, Luca Gaessler, Sydney K Camfield.
2023 Annual Conference, Goettingen, Germany, September 12, 2023
Characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa defense systems towards the novel antimicrobial AGXX
Gracious Donkor, Carl D Orellano, Greg Anderson, Michael Stadler, Kevin-Pierre Hoffmann, Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
2023 VAAM Conference, Goettingen, Germany, September 12, 2023