Laura C. Cook, PhD
Principle Investigator
I have been an at Binghamton University since the Fall of 2018 and became an Associate Professor in 2025. I began my research career as an undergraduate researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Patrick Schlievert at the University of Minnesota studying toxin production in the Gram-positive pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Bacillus anthracis. I then joined the lab of Dr. Gary Dunny and began working on my PhD dissertation research studying conjugation and biofilm formation in the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis. My postdoctoral studies took place at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the lab of Dr. Michael Federle. While there, I focused on quorum sensing in streptococci and the role of cell-cell signaling in colonization of the host. It was there that I began using animal models of bacterial colonization. Using a mouse model of vaginal colonization, I developed projects looking at the transcriptome of GAS and GBS during vaginal carriage using RNASeq. These projects developed into the work that is currently done in my lab.
When I’m not in the lab I enjoy playing with my cats, reading, and traveling nationally and internationally. I especially love spending time hiking and exploring upstate New York with my husband and two kids, Ramona and Edison.
Current Graduate Students and Postdocs
Giselle Jimenez
PhD Student (2022-present)
My name is Giselle Jimenez. I began my PhD journey at Binghamton University in the Cook lab during Fall 2022 after completing my B.S. in Biology. My research journey started in the First-Year Research Immersion program at Binghamton University, where I was introduced to microbiology and microbial biofilms. I later joined the Cook lab as a senior independent study student, focusing on Group B Streptococcus. These early experiences sparked my passion for research and solidified my decision to pursue a PhD in Dr. Cook’s lab. Outside of the lab, I like to read, paint, go on hikes, and travel.
Nicole Casab
PhD Student (2023-present)
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biology from Hartwick College in the Spring of 2023. While there, I conducted undergraduate research focused on enriching microbes from freshwater systems, an experience that sparked my passion for microbiology and scientific inquiry. Driven by this interest, I came to Binghamton University in the Fall of 2023, where I initially enrolled in the Master’s program before transitioning onto the PhD track. My current research investigates the relationship between the oropharyngeal microbiota and both the carriage and acute infection states of Streptococcus pyogenes, aiming to better understand host–microbe interactions and microbial dynamics during infection. Outside of the lab, I enjoy working out, traveling, and hanging out with my friends and family.
Sarah Patach
PhD Student (2025-present)
I began my PhD in Biology at Binghamton University in the Fall of 2025, following the completion of my B.S. in Biology at the same institution in the Spring of 2025. As an undergraduate, I became interested in microbiology and molecular biology research while working in two labs. In Dr. Laura Cook’s lab at the Binghamton Biofilm Research Center, I studied acute and carrier strains of Group A Streptococcus, focusing on how strain differences affect biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibility. In Dr. Puja Kumari’s lab, I contributed to research on immune responses to bacterial pathogens and the role of inflammatory enzymes driving pyroptosis via the non-canonical inflammasome pathway. These experiences led me back to Dr. Laura Cook’s lab for my PhD, where I research host–pathogen interactions, focusing on the mechanisms Streptococcus agalactiae employs during vaginal colonization. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, trying new recipes, and traveling.
Holly Neubauer
Postdoctoral researcher (2025-present)
Nermin Mohamed
PhD Student (2024-present, Joint with Dr. Peter McKenney)
I am a 4th-year Ph.D. candidate in Biological Sciences at Binghamton University. I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Medical Microbiology and Immunology) from Assiut University in Egypt, providing me with a strong interdisciplinary foundation that bridges pharmaceutical sciences, microbiology, and bacterial pathogenesis. During my master’s research, I investigated the inhibitory effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus on biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates, which sparked my long-standing interest in understanding bacterial biofilms and microbial interactions. Driven by this interest, I joined the Biofilm Research Group at Binghamton University, where I am advised by Dr. Laura Cook and co-mentored by Dr. Peter McKenney. My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms that regulate biofilm dispersion in Enterococcus faecalis, a clinically important opportunistic pathogen. Using genetic, imaging, and microbiological approaches, I investigate how environmental and host-associated signals regulate biofilm dispersion in E. faecalis, with a focus on cell envelope remodeling, peptidoglycan dynamics, polysaccharide architecture, and antibiotic tolerance. Outside the laboratory, I enjoy baking, spending time outdoors, and exploring new places with my family and friends.
Current Undergraduate Researchers
Benny Mizrahi, Kenneth Mendejar, Nandhana Seshacharan Rema, Grace VanAuken, Kylee Pridee
Previous Graduate Students
- Lamar Thomas, PhD
- Nicholas Faiola, PhD
- Morgan Hulbert M.A.
- Mitchell Waldran M.A.