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Biodefense/Bioterrorism Therapeutic Countermeasures Laboratory » Institute for Therapeutic Innovation » College of Medicine » University of Florida
Research
Overview
Department:
MD-INST FOR THERAPEUTIC INNOV
Bret K Purcell
M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Interim Director, ITI; Director, Select Agent Program
Phone:
(407) 313-7066
Email:
bret.purcell@medicine.ufl.edu
Full Profile
The primary objectives of the BBTC laboratory are to identify antibiotics and therapeutics to successfully treat patients exposed to agents of potential Bioterrorism/Biowarfare. This is accomplished by first testing direct exposure of potential new antibiotics to each organism directly, via susceptibility testing. Follow up studies involve treating mice infected with each organism to determine dose and timing of treatment. In addition to traditional antibiotic therapies, the laboratory also evaluates other therapies including host-directed therapeutics, immune-modulators and other therapies individually or in combination with antibiotics. These studies open opportunities to further explore the various disease progressions and the interaction of the immune system.
In addition to a fully equipped BSL3 facility, a key component and specialty of the laboratory is our Aerobiology core. The core has instrumentation and containment to deliver infectious aerosols to the animals in both the BSL3 and BSL2 facilities. This represents the expected route that individuals would be expected when exposed to these infectious agents and allows evaluation of therapeutics in various inhalational and pneumonia animal models of infection.
Of key importance is that natural infections caused by BT/BW bacterial agents are usually rare and result in high mortality rates so classical clinical trials to evaluate therapeutics is not possible. Therefore, the regulatory approval process must rely upon the FDA-“Animal Rule”. The BBTC laboratory works with the Pharmaceutical Industry, DOD, CDC NIH, BARDA and the FDA to support approval and/or indication labeling of therapeutics through the regulatory process under the animal rule.
Class 3 Biological Safety Hood
Funding
Current and Past Projects
Agency
Grant Title
Dates
Total Award
CTSI
The Development and Use of a Murine Aerosol Challenge Model for Influenza Infection to Optimize Anti-Influenza Therapeutic Regimens.
Aug. 2017-Aug. 2019
$25,000
Venatorx Pharm
Penicillin Binding Proteins
Jan. 2019
$83,020
Spero Pharm
In vitro biological evaluation of polymyxin analogs versus category A and B pathogens.
Aug. 2018Aug. 2019
$174,255
Wockhardt Bio Ag
MIC90 determination of 2 β-lactam enhancer based antibacterial combinations from
Nov. 2017-Dec. 2017
$78,058
Achaogen, Inc.
WITI Antibiotic Susceptibility Determinations
March 2017-June 2017
$29,989
Emergent Biosolutions
Tasks 2.1,2.2, 2.3 In Vivo Efficacy Study for Evaluation of the improved GC-072 formulation
March 2017-Feb. 2018
$1,264,194
DTRA
In Vitro Antibiotic Therapeutic Services in Support of protocol #AP-10-047G:
––
––
Us Army Med Res Acquisition
Pharmokinetic and pharacodynamic analyses of intravenous Moxifloxican in Non-Human Primates using appropriate computer programs. (00084689)
July 2012-July2017
$86,000
Emergent Biosolutions
Task 2.5 In Vivo Efficacy Study to Identify Most Effective Doses (00098929)
Sep. 2014-Dec. 2016
$142,100
Glaxo Smithkline
Evaluation of the potential of GSK2140944 in the vivo murineinhalational models for Yersinia pestis: Study #1 (00085366)
April 2012–April 2016
$ 1,716,872
Cubric/Tetraphase
Dose fractionation of TP-271 dosed intraperitoneally in an aerosolized Y. pestis mouse model (00096626)
Feb. 2015-Dec. 2015
$ 401,389
Glaxo Smithkline
GSK BARDA Evaluation of GSK2251052; GSK awarded contract #HHS0100201100116C (00083452)
Nov. 2011–Nov. 2015
$ 833,846
Battelle Memorial Inst
DEVELOPMENT OF A MEROPENEM RESISTANT SA-5 MODEL IN BALB/C MICE, SUBTASK 1.1 SELECTION OF MEROPENEM RESISTANT SA-5… (00097198)
Jan. 2015–Nov. 2015
$ 236,745
Ctrs For Disease Control & Prevention
Evaluation of synergistic activity and efficacy of combination drug therapy for early treatment of multiple-resistant inhalation anthrax in the murine model. (00083097)
Sep. 2011–Oct. 2015
$ 246,389
Cempra Pharmaceuticals Inc
Determination of the in vitro solithromycin MIC/MBCs and Time-Kill kinetics against B. anthracis and F. tularensis strains (00096270)
Dec. 2014-May 2015
$ 76,313
Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd
MIC determination of 15 antibacterial compounds from Actelion against type strains of XXX (00092113)
Feb. 2014-Jan. 2015
$ 75,792
Wockhardt Bio Ag
Wockhardt Antibiotic Susceptibilities- Initial Screen (00092350)
Feb. 2014-Jan. 2015
$ 18,530
Submitted – Pending Decision
Agency
Grant Title
Dates
Dates
DTRA
Development of CZ-02s (AIIPS), a new class of antibacterial for the treatment of drug resistant bacterial infections, including those caused by multi-drug resistant
Yersinia pestis, Franciisella tularensis,
and
Burkholderia mallei.
July 2019-Dec. 2027
$75,081,291
NIH
Elucidation of fluoroquinolone immunomodulation pneumonic Yersinia pestis infection in a murine model
2019-2024
$3,750
Submitted/Not Funded
Proposed Role
Agency
Date of Submission
Amount of Proposal
co-PI
CERSI/NIAID
2016
$ 1,363,356
PI
Cubist (MICs)
2015
$ 64,599
PI
Venatorx RO1/subcontract
2015
$ 974,032
PI
RibX/DTRA subcontract
2015
$ 741,411
co-PI
RO1 w/ Dr. Mohamadzadeh
2015
$ 825,294
PI
RibX/DTRA subcontract
2015
$ 741,411
PI
Echelon/RO1/NIAID
2015
$ 1,181,525
co-PI
Echelon/RO1/NIAID
2015
$ 886,799
PI
Allecra contract
2014
$ 72,452
PI
AlbanyMed/DTRA Subcontract
2014
$ 669,990
PI
Medicine Company
2014
$ 184,434
PI
Theravance/NIAID Subcontract
2014
$ 1,222,114
Publications
Book Chapters
Swearengen, J.,
Purcell, B
., Rivard, R., Purcell, B. K., & Rivard, R. (2012). Brucellosis. Biodefense Research Methodology and Animal Models. CRC Pr I Llc.
Purcell, B. K.
(2008). Anthrax. Textbooks of Military Medicine. Office of the Surgeon General Borden Institute.
Purcell, B. K.
(2008). Brucellosis. Textbooks of Military Medicine. Office of the Surgeon General Borden Institute.
Purcell, B. K
. (2003). Biologic Weapons: Unnatural Infections. Infectious Disease Secrets. Hanley & Belfus.
Journal Manuscripts
Heine, C. H., Purcell, B. K., Duncan, C., Miller, L., Craig, J. E., Chase, A., Honour, L., Vicchiarelli, M., Drusano, G. L., & Zhou, P. (2025). Evaluation of a potent LpxC inhibitor for post-exposure prophylaxis treatment of antibiotic-resistant
Burkholderia pseudomallei
in a murine infection model. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 69(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.01295-24

Heine, C. H., Drusano, G. L., Purcell, B. K., Anastasiou, D., Tanaka, S. K., & Serio, A. W. (2024). Omadacycline is active in vitro and in vivo against ciprofloxacin-resistant
Bacillus anthracis
. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 68(9). https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00595-24
Saunders, D. L., Pierson, B. C., Haller, J., Norris, S., Cardile, A. P., Reisler, R. B., Okwesili, A. C., Boudreau, E., Rusnak, J., Danner, D. K.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Barth, J. F., Tompkins, E. L., Downs, I. L., Liggett, D., Pettit, P., Pratt, T., Goldberg, M., Kortepeter, M. G., …Keshtkar-Jahromi, M. (2024). Longitudinal phase 2 clinical trials of live, attenuated tularemia vaccine in healthy research laboratory workers. Frontiers in Bacteriology, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/FBRIO.2023.1289461
Amemiya, K., Rozak, D. A., Dankmeyer, J. L., Dorman, W. R., Marchand, C., Fetterer, D. P., Worsham, P. L., &
Purcell, B. K. (
2023). Shiga-Toxin-Producing Strains of Escherichia coli O104:H4 and a Strain of O157:H7, Which Can Cause Human Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, Differ in Biofilm Formation in the Presence of CO2 and in Their Ability to Grow in a Novel Cell Culture Medium. Microorganisms, 11(7), 1744. https://doi.org/10.3390/MICROORGANISMS11071744
Davis, S., Milechin, L., Patel, T., Hernandez, M., Ciccarelli, G., Samsi, S., Hensley, L., Goff, A., Trefry, J., Johnston, S.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Cabrera, C., Fleischman, J., Reuther, A., Claypool, K., Rossi, F., Honko, A., Pratt, W., & Swiston, A. (2021). Detecting Pathogen Exposure During the Non-symptomatic Incubation Period Using Physiological Data: Proof of Concept in Non-human Primates. Frontiers in Physiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPHYS.2021.691074
Pierson, B. C., Cardile, A. P., Okwesili, A. C., Downs, I. L., Reisler, R. B., Boudreau, E. F., Kortepeter, M. G., Koca, C. D., Ranadive, M. V., Petitt, P. L., Kanesa-Thasan, N., Rivard, R. G., Liggett, D. L., Haller, J. M., Norris, S. L.,
Purcell, B. K
., Pittman, P., Saunders, D., & Keshtkar-Jahromi, M. (2021). Safety and immunogenicity of an inactivated eastern equine encephalitis virus vaccine. Vaccine, 39(20), 2780-2790. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.VACCINE.2021.03.030
Maryam, K.-J., Reisler, R. B.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Rivard, R. G., Cardile, A. P., Liggett, D., Norris, S., & Pitttman, P. R. (2019). 2773. Safety and Immunogenicity Study of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Vaccine. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 6(Supplement_2), S978-S979. https://doi.org/10.1093/OFID/OFZ360.2450
Heine, C. H., Miller, L., Halasohoris, S., &
Purcell, B. K.
(2017). In Vitro Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Francisella tularensis Determined by Broth Microdilution following CLSI Methods. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 61(9). https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00612-17
Heine, C. H., Hershfield, J., Marchand, C., Miller, L., Halasohoris, S.,
Purcell, B. K
., & Worsham, P. L. (2015). In Vitro Antibiotic Susceptibilities of
Yersinia pestis
Determined by Broth Microdilution following CLSI Methods. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 59(4), 1919-1921. https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.04548-14
Kortepeter, M. G., Lawler, J. V., Honko, A., Bray, M., Johnson, J. C.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Olinger, G. G., Rivard, R., Hepburn, M. J., & Hensley, L. E. (2011). Real-time Monitoring of Cardiovascular Function in Rhesus Macaques Infected With Zaire ebolavirus. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 204(suppl_3), S1000-S1010. https://doi.org/10.1093/INFDIS/JIR337
Heine, C. H., Bassett, J., Miller, L.,
Purcell, B. K.,
& Byrne, W. R. (2010). Efficacy of Daptomycin against
Bacillus anthracis
in a Murine Model of Anthrax Spore Inhalation. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 54(10), 4471-4473. https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00210-10
Heine, C. H.
, Purcell, B. K.,
Bassett, J., Miller, L., & Goldstein, B. P. (2010). Activity of Dalbavancin against
Bacillus anthracis
In Vitro and in a Mouse Inhalation Anthrax Model. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 54(3), 991-996. https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00820-09
Twenhafel, N. A., Alves, D. A., &
Purcell, B. K.
(2009). Pathology of Inhalational Francisella tularensis spp. tularensis SCHU S4 Infection in African Green Monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops). Veterinary Pathology, 46(4), 698-706. https://doi.org/10.1354/vp.08-VP-0302-T-AM
Ezzell, J. W., Abshire, T. G., Panchal, R., Chabot, D., Bavari, S., Leffel, E. K.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Friedlander, A. M., & Ribot, W. J. (2009). Association of Bacillus anthracis Capsule with Lethal Toxin during Experimental Infection. Infection and Immunity, 77(2), 749-755. https://doi.org/10.1128/IAI.00764-08
Vietri, N. J.
, Purcell, B. K.,
Tobery, S. A., Rasmussen, S. L., Leffel, E. K., Twenhafel, N. A., Ivins, B. E., Kellogg, M. D., Webster, W. M., Wright, M. E., & Friedlander, A. M. (2009). A Short Course of Antibiotic Treatment Is Effective in Preventing Death from Experimental Inhalational Anthrax after Discontinuing Antibiotics. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 199(3), 336-341. https://doi.org/10.1086/596063
Morefield, G. L., Tammariello, R. F.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Worsham, P. L., Chapman, J., Smith, L. A., Alarcon, J. B., Mikszta, J. A., & Ulrich, R. G. (2008). An alternative approach to combination vaccines: intradermal administration of isolated components for control of anthrax, botulism, plague and staphylococcal toxic shock. Journal of Immune Based Therapies and Vaccines, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-8518-
6-5
Hepburn, M
., Purcell, B. K
., & Paragas, J. (2007). Pathogenesis and Sepsis Caused by Organisms Potentially Utilized as Biologic Weapons: Opportunities for Targeted Intervention. Current Drug Targets, 8(4), 519-532. https://doi.org/10.2174/138945007780362728
Hinds, S. B., Raimond, S., &
Purcell, B. K.
(2007). The effect of harp music on heart rate, mean blood pressure, respiratory rate, and body temperature in the African green monkey. Journal of Medical Primatology, 36(2), 95-100. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0684.2006.00157.x
Hepburn, M. J.
, Purcell, B. K.,
Lawler, J. V., Coyne, S. R., Petitt, P. L., Sellers, K. D., Norwood, D. A., & Ulrich, M. P. (2006). Live Vaccine Strain
Francisella tularensis
Is Detectable at the Inoculation Site but Not in Blood after Vaccination against Tularemia. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 43(6), 711-716. https://doi.org/10.1086/506348
Vietri, N. J
., Purcell, B. K.,
Lawler, J. V., Leffel, E. K., Rico, P., Gamble, C. S., Twenhafel, N. A., Ivins, B. E., Heine, H. S., Sheeler, R., Wright, M. E., & Friedlander, A. M. (2006). Short-course postexposure antibiotic prophylaxis combined with vaccination protects against experimental inhalational anthrax. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103(20), 7813-7816. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0602748103
Purcell, B. K.,
Dooley, D. P., Gray, P. J., Hill, K. J., & Oliverson, F. W. (2004). Experience with Directly Observed Prophylaxis Using Erythromycin in Military Trainees Exposed to Pertussis. Military Medicine, 169(6), 417-420. https://doi.org/10.7205/MILMED.169.6.417
Hepburn, M. J., Dooley, D. P., Fraser, S. L.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Ferguson, T. M., & Horvath, L. L. (2004). An Examination of the Transmissibility and Clinical Utility of Auscultation of Bowel Sounds in all Four Abdominal Quadrants. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 38(3), 298-299. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004836-200403000-00022
Setlik, R. F., Ouellette, D., Morgan, J., Mcallister, C. K., Dorsey, D., Agan, B. K., Horvath, L., Zimmerman, M. K., &
Purcell, B. K.
(2004). Pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome associated with an autochthonous case of dengue hemorrhagic fever. Southern Medical Journal, 97(7), 688-691. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007611-200407000-00015
Purcell, B. K.,
& Dooley, D. P. (1999). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Group O1 bacterium associated pneumonia complicated by bronchopulmonary fistula and bacteremia. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 29(4), 945-946. https://doi.org/10.1086/520472
Fraser, S. L.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Delgado, B., Baker, A. E., & Whelen, A. C. (1997). Rapidly fatal infection due to Photobacterium (Vibrio) damsela. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 25(4), 935-936. https://doi.org/10.1086/597647
Hansen, E. J., Lumbley, S. R., Richardson, J. A.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Stevens, M. K., Cope, L. D., Datte, J., & Radolf, J. D. (1994). Induction of Protective Immunity to
Haemophilus ducreyi
in the Temperature-Dependent Rabbit Model of Experimental Chancroid. Journal of Immunology, 152(1), 184-192. https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.152.1.184
Akins, D. R.,
Purcell, B. K.,
Mitra, M. M., Norgard, M. V., & Radolf, J. D. (1993). Lipid modification of the 17-kilodalton membrane immunogen of
Treponema pallidum
determines macrophage activation as well as amphiphilicity. Infection and Immunity, 61(4), 1202-1210. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.61.4.1202-1210.1993
Purcell, B. K.,
Richardson, J. A., Radolf, J. D., & Hansen, E. J. (1991). A temperature-dependent rabbit model for production of dermal lesions by
Haemophilus ducreyi
. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 164(2), 359-367. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/164.2.359
Purcell, B. K.,
Swancutt, M. A., & Radolf, J. D. (1990). Lipid modification of the 15 kilo Dalton major membrane immunogen of
Treponema pallidum
. Molecular Microbiology, 4(8), 1371-1379. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2958.1990.tb00716.x
Purcell, B. K.,
Chamberlain, N. R., Goldberg, M. S., Andrews, L. P., Robinson, E. J., Norgard, M. V., & Radolf, J. D. (1989). Molecular cloning and characterization of the 15-kilodalton major immunogen of
Treponema pallidum
. Infection and Immunity, 57(12), 3708-3714. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.57.12.3708-3714.1989
Clegg, S
., Purcell, B. K
., & Pruckler, J. (1987). Characterization of genes encoding type 1 fimbriae of
Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium
, and
Serratia marcescens
. Infection and Immunity, 55(2), 281-287. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.55.2.281-287.1987
Purcell, B. K.,
Pruckler, J., & Clegg, S. (1987). Nucleotide sequence of the genes encoding type 1 fimbrial subunits of
Klebsiella pneumoniae
and
Salmonella typhimurium
. Journal of Bacteriology, 169(12), 5831-5834. https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.169.12.5831-5834.1987
Clegg, S., Pruckler, J., &
Purcell, B. K.
(1985). Complementation analyses of recombinant plasmids encoding type 1 fimbriae of members of the family enterobacteriaceae. Infection and Immunity, 50(1), 338-340. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.50.1.338-340.1985
Purcell, B. K
., & Clegg, S. (1983). Construction and expression of recombinent plasmids encoding type 1 fimbriae of a urinary
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolate. Infection and Immunity, 39(3), 1122-1127.