Christopher Lowe

Medical Microbiologist

Biography

I was born and raised in Vancouver, and completed most of my education on the west coast. After studying Microbiology and Immunology at UBC, I completed my medical school training at UBC and my residency in Medical Microbiology at the University of Toronto. I also earned an MSc in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology (University of Toronto). My thesis focused on the changing epidemiology of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and the effectiveness of admission screening for these multidrug resistant organisms. Upon completing my training, I returned to Vancouver to join the PHC Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as a Medical Microbiologist and Infection Prevention and Control Physician. I am also the Program Director for the Medical Microbiology Residency Program at UBC.

Academic Background

  • BSc (Microbiology and Immunology; Minor in Commerce), UBC 2004
  • MD, UBC 2008
  • MSc (Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology), University of Toronto 2012
  • D(ABMM), 2013
  • FRCPC (Medical Microbiology) 2013

Expertise / Research Interests

  • Hospital-acquired infections
  • Multidrug resistant gram negative organisms
  • Respiratory viruses
  • Hepatitis B resistance

Teaching Interests

  • Clinical virology
  • Infection prevention and control

Selected Publications

  • Lowe CF, Merrick L, Harrigan PR, Mazzulli T, Sherlock CH and Ritchie G. 2016. Implementation of next-generation sequencing for hepatitis B resistance and genotyping in a clinical microbiology laboratory. J Clin Microbiol. 54(1):127-133.
     
  • Lowe CF, Showler AJ, Perera S, McIntyre S, Qureshi R, Patel S, Allen V, Devlin HR and Muller MP. 2015. Hospital-associated transmission of Brucella melitensis beyond the microbiology laboratory. Emerg Infect Dis. 21(1):150-152.
     
  • Lowe CF, Katz K, McGeer AJ, Muller MP, for the Toronto ESBL Working Group. 2013. Efficacy of admission screening for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae. PLoS ONE. 8(4): e62678. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062678.
     
  • Lowe CF, Kus JV, Salt N, Callery S, Louie L, Khan MA, Vearncombe M and Simor A. 2013. Nosocomial transmission of New Delhi Metallo-b-lactamase-1-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in Toronto, Canada. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 34(1):49-55.
     
  • Lowe CF, Willey B, O'Shaughnessy A, Lee W, Lum M, Pike K, Larocque C, Dedier H, Moore C, Dales L, McGeer A and the Mount Sinai Hospital Infection Control Team. 2012. Outbreak of extended spectrum beta-lactamase producing Klebsiella oxytoca associated with contaminated hand-washing sinks. Emerg Infect Dis. 18(8):1242-1247.
     
  • Lowe CF, McGeer A, Muller M and Katz K. 2012. Decreased susceptibility to non-carbapenem antimicrobials in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae in Toronto, Canada. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 56(7):3977-3980.
     
  • Lowe CF, Katz K, McGeer A, Muller M and the Toronto ESBL Working Group. 2012. Disparity in infection control practices for multi-drug resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Am J Infect Control. 40(9):836-839.

Contact

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
St. Paul's Hospital, 1081 Burrard St.
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6
604-806-8422
clowe@providencehealth.bc.ca




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