Callan Bleick, Pharm.D., MSc

Biography

Callan Bleick is an assistant professor and infectious diseases researcher with a focus in combating antimicrobial resistance. Callan is highly engaged in cutting-edge translational research, with a particular focus on pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) and enhancing therapeutic strategies against bacterial biofilms using innovative agents. Callan earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) from the University of Rhode Island before pursuing a Master of Science (MSc) in Immunology and Microbiology at Wayne State School of Medicine. She completed her graduate studies while serving as an infectious diseases postdoctoral fellow at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, building on her strong background in microbiology and immunology.

Education

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Infectious Diseases Translational Research
Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Anti-Infective Research Laboratory – Detroit, MI (2022-2025)

Master of Science (MSc) in Immunology and Microbiology
Wayne State University, School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Immunology (BMI) – Detroit, MI (2022-2024)

Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
The University of Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy – Kingston, RI (2018-2022)

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biological Sciences, Minor in Chemistry
The University of Rhode Island, College of The Environment and Life Sciences & Richard E. Beaupre Center for Chemical and Forensic Sciences – Kingston, RI (2014-2018)

Selected Publications

Please see research gate for a list of updated and current publications

Daffinee K, O’neill E, Bleick C, Williams G, Antoci V, Garcia D, LaPlante KL. Staphylococcal biofilm: penetration and bioavailability of vancomycin with or without rifampin, Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Volume 106, Issue 3, 2023, 11594.

El-Ghali A, Kunz Coyne AJ, Caniff K, Bleick C, Rybak MJ. Sulbactam-durlobactam: A novel β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combination targeting carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections. Pharmaco. 2023 Jun;43(6):502-513. doi: 10.1002/phar.2802. Epub 2023 May 23. PMID: 37052117.

Daffinee KE, Piehl EC, Bleick C, LaPlante KL, 2023. Eradication of Staphylococcus epidermidis within Biofilms: Comparison of Systemic versus Supratherapeutic Concentrations of Antibiotics. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 67:e00108-23. https://doi.org/10.1128/aac.00108-23.

Bleick C, Stamper K, Mohib S, Avery S, Biswas B, Arias C, Rybak M. (2023). 2110. Enhancing Antibiotic Efficacy Against Enterococcal faecium with Bacteriophage and Antimicrobial Peptides. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 10. 10.1093/ofid/ofad500.1734.

Kunz Coyne A, Stamper K, Bleick C, Bayer A, Lehman S, Rybak M. (2023). 2066. Synergistic Bacteriophage-Antibiotic Combinations Against High Inoculum DNS MRSA. Open Forum Infectious Diseases.10. 10.1093/ofid/ofad500.136.

Kunz Coyne AJ, Lucas K, Witucki P, Bleick C, Truong J, Andrade J, Cerenzio J, Biagi M, Todd M, Veve M, Rybak MJ. (2023). 2779. Early Administration of Ceftazidime-Avibactam for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales Is Associated with Improved Clinical Success. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. 10. 10.1093/ofid/ofad500.2390.

Kunz Coyne AJ, Bleick C, Stamper K, Kebriaei R, Bayer AS, Lehman SM, Rybak MJ. 0. Phage-antibiotic synergy against daptomycin-nonsusceptible MRSA in an ex vivo simulated endocardial pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 0:e01388-23. https://doi.org/10.1128/aac.01388-23.

Kunz Coyne AJ, Stamper K, Bleick C, Kebriaei R, Lehman SM, Rybak MJ. 0. Synergistic bactericidal effects of phage-enhanced antibiotic therapy against MRSA biofilms. Microbiol Spectr 0:e03212-23.https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.03212-23

Kunz Coyne AJ, Eshaya M, Bleick C, Vader S, Biswas B, Wilson M, Deschenes M, Alexander J, Lehman SM, Rybak M. Exploring synergistic and antagonistic interactions in phage-antibiotics combinations against ESKAPE pathogens. Microbiolo Spectr 12:e00427-24.

Al Musawa M, Bleick C, Herbin S, Caniff K, Van Helden S, Rybak M. Aztreonam-avibactam: The dynamic duo against multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens (2025). Pharmaco. https://doi.org/10.1002/phar.4629.

Van Helden S, Al Musawa M, Bleick C, Herbin S, Rybak MJ. Cefepime-taniborbactam: ushering in the era of metallo-β-lactamase inhibition. Pharmaco. (June 2025). DOI: 10.1002/phar.70036.

Bleick C. American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Newsletter Current Issue 2025. Inspiring the Next Generation of ID Pharmacists Through Digital Innovation. American College of Clin Pharm (ACCP). 2025. https://www.accp.com/resfel/newsletter.aspx?art=691. (June 2025)

Bleick C. Letter to the Editor regarding “Long-term sustainability of improvements in antibiotic prescribing after implementation of a local guideline for the management of patients hospitalized with skin and soft tissue infection” by Frappa et al. Antimicrob Steward Healthc Epidemiol. 2025 Sep 5;5(1):e202. doi: 10.1017/ash.2025.10116. PMID: 40927248; PMCID: PMC12415785.

Bleick C, Van Helden S, Richa R, Lehman S, Bayer A, Rybak MJ. Optimizing Phage-antibiotic combinations: impact of administration order against daptomycin non-susceptible (DNS) MRSA clinical isolates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2025. (August 2025) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.19.654851.

Van Helden S, Bleick C, Holger D, El-Ghali A, Marshall S, Rojas L, Bonomo R, Rybak MJ. Impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm exopolysaccharide composition on bacteriophage and bacteriophage-antibiotic combination activity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. (August 2025).

Bleick C. September Issue: Transforming hepatitis C (HCV) treatment through pharmacy-based initiatives. Pharmacy Times. (September 2025).

Certifications

  • Responsible Conduct of Research - GS0900 RCR Core Topics Course (ID 119473) 2023–2027
  • Radiation Generating Machine (ID 133087) Certification 2023–2026
  • CPR/Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider 2024–2026
  • Environmental Health & Safety - Biosafety/Bloodborne Pathogens (ID 99756); Laboratory Safety Training (ID 99755) 2022–2026
  • Human Subjects Research - Biomedical Investigators (ID 27086) 2022–2025
  • Basic/Refresher: Human Subjects Research & Good Clinical Practice (ID 832, ID 129299) 2022–2025

Honors and Awards

  • Research in Emerging Areas Critical to Human Health (REACH) LRP (LRP-REACH) Grant Recipient, National Institutes of Health 2025
  • Graduate Student Professional Travel Award, Wayne State University 2023–2025
  • Infectious Disease Travel Award, IDWeek Annual Meeting 2023–2025
  • Top Research Poster Award, Postdoctoral Category, Shifting susceptibility: MIC assessment in RPMI versus MHB against DNS-MRSA Isolates. 21st Annual College Research Day (EACPHS) 2024
  • Top Research Poster Award, Postdoctoral Category, Impact of sequential administration of ampicillin plus daptomycin in combination with bacteriophages against E. faecium. 20th Annual College Research Day (EACPHS) 2023
  • Infectious Diseases Fellow Travel Award, Making a Difference in Infectious Diseases (MAD-ID) 2023–2024
  • Top Cited Article, Pharmacotherapy: Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy 2023
  • Top Abstract Award: Student Mentored Research: Making a Difference in Infectious Diseases (MAD-ID) 2022
  • Department of Pharmacy Practice 2022 Achievement Award in Clinical Practice, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2022
  • Rhode Island Women’s Club of Providence Endowed Scholarship, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2021
  • Benefit Street Pharmacy Endowment Scholarship, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2021
  • William Bingham Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2021
  • Artacky and Elese Berberian Endowed Scholarship, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2021
  • The Rhode Island Institutional Development Award (IDeA) INBRE – 2021 Student Research Fellowship Plus Recipient, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2021
  • Top Research Poster Award - Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Conference, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2021
  • University of Rhode Island Class of 1926 Scholarship in Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2020
  • The Rhode Island Institutional Development Award (IDeA) INBRE – 2020 Student Research Fellowship Recipient, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2020
  • College of Pharmacy Scholarship Fund, Walgreens Recipient, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2019
  • Dr. James W. and Mildred L. Cobble Memorial Scholarship, University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy 2019
  • Dean’s List, University of Rhode Island 2018–2022