# Karen Visick

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Karen_Visick
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Karen_Visick.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Visick
> Source revision: 1348656227
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

American microbiologist

Karen Visick Born Karen Gillen Alma mater University of Washington Known for Bacterial biofilm and symbiosis Awards American Academy of Microbiology (2016) Scientific career Institutions Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine Website ssom.luc.edu/microbio/people/faculty/karenvisickphd/

**Karen Visick** is an American [microbiologist](/source/Microbiologist) and expert in [bacterial genetics](/source/Bacterial_genetics) known for her work on the role of bacteria to form [biofilm](/source/Biofilm) communities during animal colonization. She conducted doctoral research with geneticist Kelly Hughes at the University of Washington, where she identified a key regulatory checkpoint during construction of the bacterial [flagellum](/source/Flagellum).[1] She conducted postdoctoral research on development of the *[Vibrio fischeri](/source/Vibrio_fischeri)*-*[Euprymna scolopes](/source/Euprymna_scolopes)* symbiosis with [Ned Ruby](/source/Ned_Ruby) at [University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California) and [University of Hawaiʻi](/source/University_of_Hawai%CA%BBi). The bacteria are bioluminescent and provide light to the host. Visick and Ruby revealed that bacteria that do not produce light exhibit a defect during host colonization.[2]

Visick has been a professor at [Stritch School of Medicine](/source/Stritch_School_of_Medicine) since 1998, where she continues her work on *[Vibrio fischeri](/source/Vibrio_fischeri)*. She identified and has characterized bacterial biofilm formation as a key factor required for colonization of the animal host. She identified a regulator that is critical for host colonization and called it Regulator of Symbiotic Colonization Sensor, RscS.[3] She proceeded to identify an 18-gene locus that encoded functions for extrapolysaccharide production, which she named the Symbiosis Polysaccharide, Syp.[4] The Visick Lab proceeded to determine that RscS is a key regulator of the *syp* EPS genes, and this system regulates bacterial biofilm formation and aggregation in host tissue during the initiation of the symbiosis.[5] The lab has proceeded to characterize the regulation and function of the biofilm.[6]

Visick was the co-organizer (Jean-Marc Ghigo was lead organizer) of the Biofilms 2018 conference in Washington, DC, which had over 500 attendees,[7] and is the lead organizer of the Biofilms 2021 conference.

## Honors and awards

In 2016, Visick was elected as a fellow of the [American Academy of Microbiology](/source/American_Academy_of_Microbiology).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Hughes, KT; Gillen, KL; Semon, MJ; Karlinsey, JE (19 November 1993). "Sensing structural intermediates in bacterial flagellar assembly by export of a negative regulator". *Science*. **262** (5137): 1277–80. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1993Sci...262.1277H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993Sci...262.1277H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1126/science.8235660](https://doi.org/10.1126%2Fscience.8235660). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [8235660](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8235660).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Visick, KL; Foster, J; Doino, J; McFall-Ngai, M; Ruby, EG (August 2000). ["Vibrio fischeri lux genes play an important role in colonization and development of the host light organ"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC94630). *Journal of Bacteriology*. **182** (16): 4578–86. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1128/jb.182.16.4578-4586.2000](https://doi.org/10.1128%2Fjb.182.16.4578-4586.2000). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [94630](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC94630). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [10913092](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10913092).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Visick, KL; Skoufos, LM (February 2001). ["Two-component sensor required for normal symbiotic colonization of euprymna scolopes by Vibrio fischeri"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC94949). *Journal of Bacteriology*. **183** (3): 835–42. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1128/JB.183.3.835-842.2001](https://doi.org/10.1128%2FJB.183.3.835-842.2001). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [94949](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC94949). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [11208780](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11208780).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Yip, ES; Grublesky, BT; Hussa, EA; Visick, KL (September 2005). ["A novel, conserved cluster of genes promotes symbiotic colonization and sigma-dependent biofilm formation by Vibrio fischeri"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2958.2005.04784.x). *Molecular Microbiology*. **57** (5): 1485–98. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1365-2958.2005.04784.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2958.2005.04784.x). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [16102015](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16102015).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Yip, ES; Geszvain, K; DeLoney-Marino, CR; Visick, KL (December 2006). ["The symbiosis regulator rscS controls the syp gene locus, biofilm formation and symbiotic aggregation by Vibrio fischeri"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1852533). *Molecular Microbiology*. **62** (6): 1586–600. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05475.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2958.2006.05475.x). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [1852533](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1852533). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [17087775](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17087775).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Visick, KL (November 2009). ["An intricate network of regulators controls biofilm formation and colonization by Vibrio fischeri"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2906375). *Molecular Microbiology*. **74** (4): 782–9. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1365-2958.2009.06899.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1365-2958.2009.06899.x). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [2906375](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2906375). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [19818022](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19818022).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Fuqua, C; Filloux, A; Ghigo, JM; Visick, KL (19 February 2019). ["Biofilms 2018: A diversity of microbes and mechanisms"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6707918). *Journal of Bacteriology*. **201** (18). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1128/JB.00118-19](https://doi.org/10.1128%2FJB.00118-19). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[10044/1/69023](https://hdl.handle.net/10044%2F1%2F69023). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [6707918](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6707918). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30782638](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30782638).

## External links

- [Stritch School of Medicine faculty page](https://ssom.luc.edu/microbio/people/faculty/karenvisickphd/)

Authority control databases: Academics ORCID ResearcherID Publons

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Karen Visick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Visick) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Visick?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.