Dr. Hazlett's research is focused on the host immune response to the gram negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). The ubiquitous bacterium is an opportunistic pathogen noted both for its ability to cause disease in particularly susceptible or compromised individuals and its ever increasing resistance to antibiotics.  Extremely common in soil and water, it is also responsible for many serious, often fatal, human infections, including upper respiratory tract colonization in cystic fibrosis patients, and in ocular infections, particularly due to injury in battle and in contact lens usage, where blindness can be the outcome. With contact lens use at an all time high, such sight-threatening infections are becoming increasingly widespread and range from purulent conjunctivitis to iridocyclitis, keratitis and iritis, corneal ulcer, and panophthalmitis. In fact, of the 30,000,000 daily-wear contact lens users worldwide, one in every 2,500 will suffer pseudomonal infection; the odds increase by a factor of five – or one in every 500 – for those using extended-wear or overnight lenses. In the United States alone, 25,000 30,000 cases of microbial keratitis are reported annually with an estimated cost of between $15 and $30 million for treatment. The long-term objective of her studies is to reveal basic pathophysiological mechanisms of disease in the P. aeruginosa infected cornea. Her studies directly address a major objective of the current Corneal Diseases Program (National Plan for Eye and Vision Research) which parenthetically states, to “investigate corneal infectious processes and immunological responses and to develop treatments to reduce keratitis and prevent blindness.” Her studies integrate cellular and molecular biology and immunology and continue to elucidate novel targets in the immune response that will impact clinical care of patients with P. aeruginosa keratitis.

Dr. Hazlett has oversight of four course-directors who provide leadership for Year I medical student teaching (56% of Year I medical student teaching) and 2 graduate course directors. She meets with them as a group to assess teaching progress, course development, planning, teaching assignments and faculty performance. Although she does not participate in medical teaching, she educates graduate students (one graduated with the PhD in 2009 and is in a medical internship in Chicago); two are currently in training. She also provides mentorship to a Research Scientist and a Research Assistant Professor whom she has mentored and who has obtained his own R01 grant as PI (2008).