Saroj Khadka

Greetings! I am a PhD Candidate at the University of Pittsburgh, working under the supervision of Dr. Laura A. Mike. My research in the Mike Lab (themikelab.com) focuses on the molecular mechanisms and regulation of capsular polysaccharide–associated phenotypes in Klebsiella pneumoniae, particularly those linked to bacterial fitness and virulence.

Prior to joining the PhD program, I earned an MS in Medical Microbiology (2019) and a BS in Microbiology (2016) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. I also have experience as a medical microbiologist in clinical diagnostic settings. My research expertise spans molecular microbiology, bacterial genetics, high-throughput phenotypic screening, polysaccharide biochemistry, and protein structure–function analysis. I am particularly skilled in dissecting regulatory networks that control bacterial virulence traits, integrating experimental and computational approaches to better understand pathogen behavior and adaptation.