SUMMARY
The research interests of Audrey N. Schuetz, M.D., are in antimicrobial resistance of bacteria, anaerobic bacteriology and infectious diseases pathology.
Focus areas
As co-director of the Bacteriology Laboratory, and director of the Initial Processing and Media Laboratory, Dr. Schuetz's research focus areas are on antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacteria and anaerobic bacteriology. Dr. Schuetz has both led and participated in several multicenter studies of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, particularly gram-negative aerobes. She is principal investigator on an ARLG trial concerning testing for antimicrobial resistance directly from blood broth. Her interest in antimicrobial resistance also extends to anaerobes, particularly multidrug-resistant Bacteroides fragilis, on which she is currently investigating resistance mechanisms.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Schuetz's interest in antimicrobial resistance aligns with antibiotic stewardship efforts locally and nationally. The appropriate use of antibiotics, or antimicrobial stewardship, has a strong laboratory and patient care component, and Dr. Schuetz enjoys bringing together those two sides of clinical care via her educational and research efforts. She was one of the Infectious Diseases Society of America panel members who composed the updated 2016 stewardship guidelines published in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal.
Currently, Dr. Schuetz works with the Minnesota Department of Health on regional and local stewardship education and research and contributes within Mayo Clinic to stewardship efforts. Her research fuels her interest in leading various educational and research efforts within the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), the organization that sets standards and guidelines in the United States and worldwide concerning antibiotic testing and reporting, among other things.
Dr. Schuetz also focuses on laboratory utilization and clinical application of various rapid molecular assays as they pertain to clinical care. Some of her prior research includes clinical utility of multiplex versus limited molecular testing for respiratory pathogens and laboratory evaluation of rapid molecular blood culture organism and resistance gene identification assays.
Professional highlights
- Voting member, Subcommittee on Antifungal Susceptibility Testing, CLSI, 2017-present
- Principal investigator, DISK study concerning antimicrobial resistance testing directly from positive blood culture bottles, Antibacterial Resistance Leadership Group, 2017-present
- Adviser, Subcommittee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing, CLSI, 2016-present
- Member of expert panel on microbiology, CLSI, 2016-present
- Editorial board member, Anaerobe, 2015-present
- Editorial board member, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2014-present
- Member, Microbiology Resource Committee, College of American Pathologists, 2012-present
- President, American Society for Microbiology, New York City Branch, 2015-2016
- Recipient, American Federation from Medical Research Award, Medical Student Research Day, Emory University School of Medicine, 1999