Alexis Rousek didn’t always know she would become a microbiologist — but the signs were there early.

In middle school, she entered a science fair with a project testing which yogurt brand grew mold the fastest. Years later, a college microbiology course set her on a path toward studying bacteria in depth, eventually leading to a doctorate degree in Matthew Mulvey’s lab in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Utah.

Now, Rousek is taking on a new position as a postdoctoral researcher with the Science Research Initiative (SRI), where she leads a new research stream investigating Extraintestinal Pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) — the bacteria responsible for urinary tract and bloodstream infections. Her work focuses on a specialized subset of bacteria known as persister cells, which enter a dormant, “hibernation-like” state that allows them to survive antibiotic treatment and cause recurrent infections.

“One of the most common issues in the field of studying UTIs is recurrent infection,” she explains. “We’re trying to understand why these infections keep coming back, even though all of the bacteria should be killed by antibiotics.” The importance of this medical issue is often underestimated, but it can have serious health consequences on an individual and community level. “Not only does this affect a lot of people, but it specifically affects a lot of women, so I think it's important to study,” she says. “So many people are consistently taking antibiotics for these recurrent infections, which can be really unhealthy, and can actually contribute to the rising rates of antibiotic resistance.”

Thanks to clinical samples shared by her Ph.D. mentor, Rousek’s stream will give undergraduates the chance to work with bacteria isolated directly from human patients. This means their research doesn’t just happen in theory but reflects the pathogens causing real-world infections today. “What we’re finding is going to be representative of actual infections,” she says. “I think it’ll be really cool for my students to get to perform research on real, very relevant stuff.”

Dream Opportunity

While SRI is opening new doors for its students, the program’s postdocs, like Rousek, also benefit from the program’s unique model. “It’s really different from any other type of postdoc,” she says. “It’s like I’m running my own lab, which is a really cool opportunity, but with so much support from the program itself. Honestly, it’s a dream opportunity to be able to do my own science without having to jump straight into a professorship.”

Beyond the lab, Rousek is excited about mentoring undergraduate researchers. “I really like teaching people science and getting them excited about it,” she says. “Working with a wider diversity of students will be really fun and potentially challenging, but in a good way. There’s just more opportunities for students to work together, collaborate, and develop their own projects.”

Rousek hopes to build a productive and engaging research stream that inspires students to pursue whatever field they’re passionate about. “Science is hard already, and not having a good support system or a good mentor makes it a lot harder,” she reflects. “I’ve been really lucky to have incredible mentors, and I hope to pass that on to the students who come through my stream.”