2020-2021 Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for Translational Medicine, University of Montana, Missoula, MT

2021-2023 Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT

2023-2025 Staff Scientist, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT

2025- Assistant Professor, McLaughlin Research Institute

2025- Assistant Professor, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine - Montana

The TR Borgogna Lab explores the reciprocal communication between host and pathogens that promote tolerance or infection. Our work has focused on how factors such as influenza infection and neutrophil activation contribute to Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis. Current studies focus on how changes in the lung environment associated with aging shape susceptibility to infection.

 The lungs serve two primary purposes: 1) to deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide, and 2) to provide defense against inhaled pathogens, chemicals, and particulates. While the role in oxygen exchange is critical, maintaining this function is only possible through sustained and effective defense against potential pathogens. Airborne microorganisms constantly barrage the respiratory system, and opportunistic pathogens residing in the nares are frequently trafficked from the oropharynx into the lungs. Despite a constant onslaught, severe lower respiratory infections in immunocompetent individuals are relatively infrequent. As individuals age, the incidence and severity of respiratory infections increase. The decline in respiratory resilience is primarily attributed to immunosenescence – the age-related decline in immune function. In the TRB Lab, we are interested in specific changes in the senescent lung environment that increase susceptibility to bacterial infections and pneumonia.

In our ongoing projects, we are investigating how the aging lung environment contributes to influenza and bacterial coinfection. Infection with influenza viruses often causes mild symptoms and is resolved by the host’s immune response within two weeks of symptom onset. Annual mortality rates from influenza infection alone are relatively low; however, influenza infection drastically increases host susceptibility to secondary bacterial pneumonia. Here, mortality rates can be >10x higher than influenza alone and are a leading cause of death in the United States. This trend is intensified in older adults wherein populations aged >55, >65, >75, and >85 exhibit respective mortality rates >2.5x, >5.6x, >16.1x, and 59.5x higher than those <55 years of age. The TRB Lab aims to understand how changes in the influenza-infected lung environment increase susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection and to identify how these changes are exacerbated with age.

Mehradnia F, Amin H, Ferrini ME, Partlow H, Borgogna T, Dachavaram SS, T Ryter K, Bazin HG, Evans JT, Burkhart DJ, DeBuysscher B, Abdelwahab WM. Encapsulation of the lipidated TLR7/8 agonist INI-4001 into ionic liposomes impacts H7 influenza antigen-specific immune responses. Drug Deliv Transl Res. 2025 Jul 14. doi: 10.1007/s13346-025-01917-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40660065.

Pettygrove BA, Nygaard TK, Borgogna TR, Malachowa N, Gaur G, Salo SE, Pallister KB, Burroughs O, Robinson C, Gao A, Sturdevant DE, Ricklefs S, DeLeo FR, Otto M, Stewart PS, Voyich JM. Staphylococcus aureus SaeR/S-regulated factors overcome human complement-mediated inhibition of aggregation to evade neutrophil killing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 May 20;122(20):e2412447122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2412447122. Epub 2025 May 13. PMID: 40359050; PMCID: PMC12107147.

Predtechenskaya M, Arbizzani CJ, Shomento SR, Borgogna TR, Voyich JM.2025.Lung surfactant reduces Staphylococcus aureus cytotoxicity and protects host immune cells from membrane damage. Microbiol Spectr13:e01386-24.https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01386-24

Gaur, G.; Predtechenskaya, M.; Voyich, J.; James, G.; Stewart, P.; Borgogna, T*. Assessing the Effects of Surgical Irrigation Solutions on Human Neutrophil Interactions with Nascent Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms. Microorganisms 2024, 12(10), 1951; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12101951.

Nygaard, T.; Borgogna, T.; Pallister, K.; Predtechenskaya, M.; Burroughs, O.; Gao, A.; Lubick, E.; Voyich, J. The Relative Importance of Cytotoxins Produced by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain USA300 for Causing Human PMN Destruction. Microorganisms 2024, 12(9), 1782; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12091782.

Abdelwahab WM, Auclair S, Borgogna T, Siram K, Riffey A, Bazin HG, Cottam HB, Hayashi T, Evans JT, Burkhart DJ. Co-Delivery of a Novel Lipidated TLR7/8 Agonist and Hemagglutinin-Based Influenza Antigen Using Silica Nanoparticles Promotes Enhanced Immune Responses. Pharmaceutics. 2024 Jan 13;16(1):107. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010107.

Weaver, A.J., Jr.; Borgogna, T.R.; O’Shea-Stone, G.; Peters, T.R.; Copié, V.; Voyich, J.; Teintze, M. 18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid Induces Metabolic Changes and Reduces Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial Cell-to-Cell Interactions. Antibiotics 2022, 11, 781. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11060781

Borgogna TR., Sanchez-Gonzalez A., Gorham K., Voyich J.M. A Precise Pathogen Delivery and Recovery System for Murine Models of Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia. Journal of Visualized Experiments. Sep 21;(151). doi: 10.3791/59566.

Nygaard TK, Borgogna TR, Sward EW, et al. Aspartic Acid Residue 51 of SaeR Is Essential for Staphylococcus aureus Virulence. Front Microbiol. 2018;9:3085. Published 2018 Dec 14. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2018.03085

Timothy R Borgogna, Bennett Hisey, Emily Heitmann, Joshua J Obar, Nicole Meissner, Jovanka M Voyich; Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia by Staphylococcus aureus following Influenza A Infection Is SaeR/S Dependent, The Journal of Infectious Diseases, jiy210.

Guerra FE, Borgogna TR, Patel DM, Sward EW, Voyich JM. Epic Immune Battles of History: Neutrophils vs. Staphylococcus aureus. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 2017. p. 286. Available from: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fcimb.2017.00286

Borgogna Timothy R., Borgogna Joanna-Lynn, Mielke Jenna A., Brown Celeste J., Top Eva M., Botts Ryan T., and Cummings David E. High Diversity of CTX-M Extended-Spectrum b-lactamases in Municipal Wastewater and Urban Wetlands. Microbial Drug Resistance. June 2016, 22(4): 312-320