Bear Creek Accident

Investigating treatments for chronic wounds

Birukova’s research in the Bollyky lab focused on the role played by a virus called a bacteriophage in the formation of biofilms — viscous communities of bacteria, resistant to antibiotics and immune responses, that can colonize chronic wounds or coat medical equipment. She collaborated with researchers in the laboratory of assistant professor of chemistry Yan Xia, PhD, to design polymers and antibodies to disrupt biofilms with the aim of treating patients with deadly infections.

“The medical school community has suffered a tremendous loss,” said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine. “Maria’s interdisciplinary approach to the treatment of antibiotic-resistant biofilms brought to bear insights from both chemistry and immunology in an attempt to devise new treatments for patients with few other options. Her work was a wonderful example of Stanford’s focus on translational medicine, and she will be greatly missed, both professionally and personally.”