Melanie L. Yarbrough, PhD

Melanie L. Yarbrough, PhD

Associate Professor, Pathology & Immunology
Medical Director, Microbiology, Barnes Jewish Hospital
Section Head, Microbiology
Director, Microbiology Fellowship

Division

  • Laboratory & Genomic Medicine

Additional Titles

  • Section Head, Microbiology
  • Director, Medical & Public Health Microbiology Fellowship

Related Links

Education

  • BS Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (2004)
  • PhD Molecular Microbiology: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX (2009)
  • Fellowship, Clinical Chemistry: Washington University, St. Louis, MO (2015)
  • Fellowship, Clinical Microbiology: Washington University, St. Louis, MO (2017)

Board Certifications

  • Diplomate, American Board of Clinical Chemistry, 2015
  • Diplomate, American Board of Medical Microbiology, 2017

Recognition

  • Clinical Pathology Teaching Award, Washington University School of Medicine, 2023
  • Washington University Laboratory and Genomic Medicine Fellow Teacher of the Year
  • American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) Outstanding Speaker Award
  • Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists Ellis Benson Award

Clinical Interests

  • Microbiology
  • Bacteriology
  • Urinary tract infection
  • Sexually transmitted infection
  • Antimicrobial resistance

Research Interests

My research focuses on the evaluation of methods for isolation and identification of urinary pathogens, including multi-drug resistant organisms. Additional studies aim to characterize the urinary microbiome to explore links between characteristic microbial communities and the presence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and UTI. Together, these studies will provide opportunities for improvement of both diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship of genitourinary diseases that have a major impact on public health.

Selected Publications

Bui TI, Muenks CE, Wallace MA, Reimler B, Burnham CD, Yarbrough ML. Optimizing recovery of Haemophilus influenzae from vaginal-rectal specimens and determining carriage rates in pregnant women. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2024 Sep 5. doi: 10.1007/s10096-024-04927-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39235572.
Tarlton NJ, Wallace MA, Potter RF, Zhang K, Dantas G, Dubberke ER, Burnham CD, Yarbrough ML. Evaluation of the NG-Test CARBA 5 Lateral Flow Assay with an IMP-27-Producing Morganella morganii and Other Morganellaceae. Microbiol Spectr. 2023 Jun 15;11(3):e0079323. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.00793-23. Epub 2023 May 18. PMID: 37199652
Yarbrough ML, Wallace MA, Burnham CA. Comparison of microorganism detection and time-to-positivity in pediatric and standard media from three major commercial continuously monitored blood culture systems. J Clin Microbiol. 2021 Apr 28:JCM.00429-21. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00429-21. (PMID: 33910963)
Sawhney SS, Johnson C, Shupe A, Fine J, Dantas G, Burnham CD, Yarbrough ML. Assessment of the Urinary Microbiota of MSM Using Urine Culturomics Reveals a Diverse Microbial Environment. Clin Chem. 2021 Dec 30;68(1):192-203. doi: 10.1093/clinchem/hvab199. (PMID: 34969116)

Assistant
Shelley Cuervo
314-362-2207
cuervo@wustl.edu
IOH Room 5800