Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences
Contact Information
Email:Biosketch
Chris Pillar, PhD, is Chief Science Officer with Micromyx, LLC, a microbiology services company specializing in anti-infective discovery and development for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and animal health industries.
Dr. Pillar is a graduate of Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He earned his doctorate in immunology and microbiology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. His thesis was based on an investigation into the effects of toxins and proteases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the pathogenesis of ulcerative bacterial keratitis. After completing his PhD, Dr. Pillar spent time at both the University of Oklahoma and Harvard Medical School as a postdoctoral fellow. In addition, he worked as a senior scientist at Eurofins Medinet's Global Infectious Diseases Services prior to joining Micromyx.
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Education and Training
- Postdoctoral Fellowship 2007, Ocular Immunology, The Schepens Eye Research Institute, Harvard Medical School
- Postdoctoral Fellowship 2004, Microbiology and Immunology, Health Sciences Center, The University of Oklahoma
- PhD 2001, Immunology & Microbiology, Wayne State University
- BA 1996, Biology, Kalamazoo College
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Publications
Locke J.B., Pillar C.M., Castanheira M., Carvalhaes C.G., Andes D., Aram J.A., Andrzejewski C., Bartizal K., Das A.F., Sandison T., Thompson G.R., Pappas P.G. Outcomes by Candida spp. in the ReSTORE Phase 3 trial of rezafungin versus caspofungin for candidemia and/or invasive candidiasis Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2024;68
Jahanbakhsh S., Howland J., Ndayishimiye Uwineza M.O., Thwaites M.T., Pillar C.M., Serio A.W., Anastasiou D.M., Hufnagel D.A. Evaluation of omadacycline against intracellular Mycobacterium abscessus in an infection model in human macrophages JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance. 2023;5
Huang D.B., Brothers K.M., Mandell J.B., Taguchi M., Alexander P.G., Parker D.M., Shinabarger D., Pillar C., Morrissey I., Hawser S., Ghahramani P., Dobbins D., Pachuda N., Montelaro R., Steckbeck J.D., Urish K.L. Engineered peptide PLG0206 overcomes limitations of a challenging antimicrobial drug class PLoS ONE. 2022;17
Kelley C.J., Kennedy-Mendez A., Walser O.N., Thwaites M.T., Arhin F.F., Pillar C.M., Hufnagel D.A. Evaluation of Dilution Susceptibility Testing Methods for Aztreonam in Combination with Avibactam against Enterobacterales Microbiology Spectrum. 2022;10
Cotroneo N., Rubio A., Critchley I.A., Pillar C., Pucci M.J. In vitro and in vivo characterization of tebipenem, an oral carbapenem Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2020;64
Kapoor M., Moloney M., Soltow Q.A., Pillar C.M., Shaw K.J. Evaluation of resistance development to the GWT1 inhibitor manogepix (APX001A) in Candida species Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2020;64
Murray B., Wolfe C., Marra A., Pillar C., Shinabarger D. In vitro activity of the novel antibacterial agent ibezapolstat (ACX-362E) against Clostridioides difficile The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy. 2020;75:2149-2155.
Pagano P., Marra A., Shinabarger D., Pillar C. In vitro activity of omadacycline and levofloxacin against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus saprophyticus in human urine supplemented with calcium and magnesium The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy. 2020;75:2160-2163.
Krause K.M., Haglund C.M., Hebner C., Serio A.W., Lee G., Nieto V., Cohen F., Kane T.R., Machajewski T., Hildebrandt D., Pillar C., Thwaites M., Hall D., Miesel L., Hackel M., Burek A., Andrews L.D., Armstrong E., Swem L., Jubb A., Cirz R.T. Potent LpxC Inhibitors with in Vitro Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2019;63
Pfaller M., Flamm R.K., McCurdy S.P., Pillar C.M., Shortridge D., Jones R.N. Delafloxacin in vitro broth microdilution and disk diffusion antimicrobial susceptibility testing guidelines: Susceptibility breakpoint criteria and quality control ranges for an expanded-spectrum anionic fluoroquinolone Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2018;56(8)
Stapert L., Wolfe C., Shinabarger D., Marra A., Pillar C. In vitro activities of omadacycline and comparators against anaerobic bacteria Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2018;62(4)
Thwaites M., Hall D., Shinabarger D., Serio A., Krause K., Marra A., Pillar C. Evaluation of the bactericidal activity of plazomicin and comparators against multidrug-resistant enterobacteriaceae Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2018;62(8)
Thwaites M., Hall D., Stoneburner A., Shinabarger D., Serio A., Krause K., Marra A., Pillar C. Activity of plazomicin in combination with other antibiotics against multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2018;92(4):338-345.
Wolfe C., Pagano P., Pillar C., Shinabarger D., Boulos R. Comparison of the in vitro antibacterial activity of Ramizol, fidaxomicin, vancomycin, and metronidazole against 100 clinical isolates of Clostridium difficile by broth microdilution Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2018;92(3):250-252.
Hall D., Bonifas R., Stapert L., Thwaites M., Shinabarger D., Pillar C. In vitro potency and fungicidal activity of CD101, a novel echinocandin, against recent clinical isolates of Candida spp. Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2017;89(3):205-211.
Sweeney D., Shinabarger D., Arhin F., Belley A., Moeck G., Pillar C. Comparative in vitro activity of oritavancin and other agents against methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2017;87(2):121-128.
Sweeney D., Shinabarger D., Smart J., Bruss J., Pillar C. Evaluation of the bactericidal activity of Telavancin against Staphylococcus aureus using revised testing guidelines Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2017;89(1):83-85.
Sweeney D., Stoneburner A., Shinabarger D.L., Arhin F.F., Belley A., Moeck G., Pillar C.M. Comparative in vitro activity of oritavancin and other agents against vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant enterococci Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2017;72(2):622-624.
Pillar C.M., Stoneburner A., Shinabarger D.L., Krause K.M., Nichols W.W. The postantibiotic effect and post-β-lactamase-inhibitor effect of ceftazidime, ceftaroline and aztreonam in combination with avibactam against target Gram-negative bacteria Letters in Applied Microbiology. 2016;63(2):96-102.
Asbell P.A., Sanfilippo C.M., Pillar C.M., DeCory H.H., Sahm D.F., Morris T. Antibiotic resistance among ocular pathogens in the United States five-year results from the Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Ocular Microorganisms (ARMOR) surveillance study JAMA Ophthalmology. 2015;133(12):1445-1454.
Grossman T., Pillar C., Sahm D., Sutcliffe J. In vitro susceptibility testing of eravacycline is unaffected by medium age and nonstandard assay parameters Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2015;59(4):2426-2427.
Pillar C.M., Stoneburner A., Shinabarger D.L., Abbeloos E., Goby L. Corrigendum to "In vitro susceptibility of bovine mastitis pathogens to a combination of penicillin and framycetin: Development of interpretive criteria for testing by broth microdilution and disk diffusion" (J. Dairy Sci. 97(2015):6594-6607) Journal of Dairy Science. 2015;98(5):3558.
Denys G., Pillar C., Sahm D., O'Hanley P., Stephens J. Five-year longitudinal assessment (2008 to 2012) of E-101 solution activity against clinical target and antimicrobial-resistant pathogens Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2014;58(8):4911-4914.
Pillar C.M., Stoneburner A., Shinabarger D.L., Abbeloos E., Goby L. In vitro susceptibility of bovine mastitis pathogens to a combination of penicillin and framycetin: Development of interpretive criteria for testing by broth microdilution and disk diffusion Journal of Dairy Science. 2014;97(10):6594-6607.
Morrow B.J., Pillar C.M., Deane J., Sahm D.F., Lynch A.S., Flamm R.K., Peterson J., Davies T.A. Activities of carbapenem and comparator agents against contemporary US Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from the CAPITAL surveillance program Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2013;75(4):412-416.
Sahm D., Deane J., Pillar C., Fernandes P. In vitro activity of CEM-102 (Fusidic Acid) against prevalent clones and resistant phenotypes of Staphylococcus aureus Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2013;57(9):4535-4536.
Tari L.W., Li X., Trzoss M., Bensen D.C., Chen Z., Lam T., Zhang J., Lee S.J., Hough G., Phillipson D., Akers-Rodriguez S., Cunningham M.L., Kwan B.P., Nelson K.J., Castellano A., Locke J.B., Brown-Driver V., Murphy T.M., Ong V., Pillar C.M., Shinabarger D.L., Nix J., Lightstone F.C., Wong S.E., Nguyen T., Shaw K.J., Finn J. Tricyclic GyrB/ParE (TriBE) inhibitors: A new class of broad-spectrum dual-targeting antibacterial agents PLoS ONE. 2013;8(12)
Arhin F., Draghi D., Pillar C., Moeck G., Sahm D. Correlation between oritavancin and vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentrations in staphylococci International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 2012;40(6):562-563.
Pillar C., Goby L. In vitro activity profile of a kanamycin and cefalexin combination against coagulasenegative staphylococci and correlation between MIC and disk zone sizes Udder Health and Communication. 2012:297.
Pillar C., Sahm D. Resistance trends and susceptibility profiles in the US among prevalent clinical pathogens: Lessons from surveillance Antibiotic Discovery and Development. 2012;9781461414001:753-792.
Prokocimer P., Bien P., DeAnda C., Pillar C.M., Bartizal K. In Vitro activity and microbiological efficacy of tedizolid (TR-700) against gram-positive clinical isolates from a phase 2 study of oral tedizolid phosphate (TR-701) in patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2012;56(9):4608-4613.
Queenan A.M., Pillar C.M., Deane J., Sahm D.F., Lynch A.S., Flamm R.K., Peterson J., Davies T.A. Multidrug resistance among Acinetobacter spp. in the USA and activity profile of key agents: Results from CAPITAL Surveillance 2010 Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2012;73(3):267-270.
Silley P., Goby L., Pillar C. Susceptibility of coagulase-negative staphylococci to a kanamycin and cefalexin combination Journal of Dairy Science. 2012;95(6):3448-3453.
Davies T.A., Marie queenan A., Morrow B.J., Shang W., Amsler K., He W., Lynch A.S., Pillar C., Flamm R.K. Longitudinal survey of carbapenem resistance and resistance mechanisms in enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenters from the USA in 2007-09 Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2011;66(10):2298-2307.
Haas W., Pillar C.M., Hesje C.K., Sanfilippo C.M., Morris T. In vitro time-kill experiments with besifloxacin, moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin in the absence and presence of benzalkonium chloride Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2011;66(4):840-844.
Haas W., Pillar C.M., Torres M., Morris T., Sahm D.F. Monitoring antibiotic resistance in ocular microorganisms: Results from the Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Ocular micRorganisms (ARMOR) 2009 surveillance study American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2011;152(4):567-574.e3.
Pillar C., Goby L. In vitro activity profile of a kanamycin and cefalexin combination against coagulasenegative staphylococci and correlation between MIC and disk zone sizes Udder Health and Communication. 2011:297.
Arhin F., Moeck G., Draghi D., Pillar C., Sahm D. Longitudinal analysis of the in vitro activity profile of oritavancin and comparator glycopeptides against Gram-positive organisms from Europe: 2005-2008 International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. 2010;36(5):474-476.
Haas W., Pillar C.M., Hesje C.K., Sanfilippo C.M., Morris T. Bactericidal activity of besifloxacin against staphylococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2010;65(7):1441-1447.
Arhin F., Draghi D., Pillar C., Parr T., Moeck G., Sahm D. Comparative in vitro activity profile of oritavancin against recent gram-positive clinical isolates Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2009;53(11):4762-4771.
Haas W., Pillar C.M., Zurenko G.E., Lee J.C., Brunner L.S., Morris T. Besifloxacin, a novel fluoroquinolone, has broad-spectrum in vitro activity against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2009;53(8):3552-3560.
Pillar C., Goby L., Draghi D., Grover P., Thornsberry C. Evaluating the in vitro susceptibility of bovine mastitis pathogens to a combination of kanamycin and cefalexin: Recommendation for a disk diffusion test Journal of Dairy Science. 2009;92(12):6217-6227.
Draghi D., Benton B., Krause K., Thornsberry C., Pillar C., Sahm D. In vitro activity of telavancin against recent Gram-positive clinical isolates: Results of the 2004-05 Prospective European Surveillance Initiative Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2008;62(1):116-121.
Draghi D.C., Benton B.M., Krause K., Thornsberry C., Pillar C., Sahm D.F. Comparative surveillance study of telavancin activity against recently collected gram-positive clinical isolates from across the United States Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2008;52(7):2383-2388.
Pillar C., Draghi D., Sheehan D., Sahm D. Prevalence of multidrug-resistant, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in the United States: findings of the stratified analysis of the 2004 to 2005 LEADER Surveillance Programs Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 2008;60(2):221-224.
Pillar C., Torres M., Brown N., Shah D., Sahm D. In vitro activity of doripenem, a carbapenem for the treatment of challenging infections caused by gram-negative bacteria, against recent clinical isolates from the United States Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2008;52(12):4388-4399.
Pillar C.M., Aranza M.K., Shah D., Sahm D.F. In vitro activity profile of ceftobiprole, an anti-MRSA cephalosporin, against recent Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates of European origin Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2008;61(3):595-602.
Pillar C.M., Draghi D.C., Dowzicky M.J., Sahm D.F. In vitro activity of tigecycline against gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens as evaluated by broth microdilution and Etest Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 2008;46(9):2862-2867.
Shaw K.J., Poppe S., Schaadt R., Brown-Driver V., Finn J., Pillar C.M., Shinabarger D., Zurenko G. In vitro activity of TR-700, the antibacterial moiety of the prodrug TR-701, against linezolid-resistant strains Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2008;52(12):4442-4447.
Coburn P.S., Pillar C., Jett B.D., Haas W., Gilmore M.S. Enterococcus faecalis senses target cells and in response expresses cytolysin Science. 2004;306(5705):2270-2272.
Pillar C., Gilmore M.S. Enterococcal virulence--pathogenicity island of E. Faecalis. Frontiers in bioscience : a journal and virtual library. 2004;9:2335-2346.
Rumpel S., Razeto A., Pillar C., Vijayan V., Taylor A., Giller K., Gilmore M.S., Becker S., Zweckstetter M. Structure and DNA-binding properties of the cytolysin regulator CylR2 from Enterococcus faecalis EMBO Journal. 2004;23(18):3632-3642.
Pillar C.M., Hobden J.A. Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A and keratitis in mice Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 2002;43:1437-1444.
Pillar C.M., Hazlett L.D., Hobden J.A. Alkaline protease-deficient mutants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are virulent in the eye Current Eye Research. 2000;21:730-739.