Barbara Brown-Elliott has worked with Dr. Richard Wallace in the mycobacteriology research laboratory at the UTHSCT since 1988. She is a registered medical technologist with a specialty in microbiology [MT(ASCP)SM]. She graduated magna cum laude from Houston Baptist University with a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology. Before coming to the UTHSCT, she worked for 11 years as the microbiology supervisor in a clinical microbiology laboratory, as a consultant for a clinical microbiology reference laboratory, and as an instructor in medical technology. While working as clinical microbiology supervisor, she obtained her Masters degree from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1981. She is an associate member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), served as a regional advisor for the ASCP, and is a member of the American Society for Microbiology since 1978.
Barbara currently serves as Associate Professor of Microbiology and Supervisor of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) accredited UTHSCT Mycobacteria/Nocardia Laboratory. She is also as a study coordinator for the mycobacterial clinical investigational drug trials at UTHSCT. These trials have included clarithromycin (biaxin), azithromycin (zithromax), rifabutin (mycobutin), rifampin, and ethambutol. She also is a member/advisor for the CLSI (Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, formerly NCCLS, National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards) Subcommittee on Antimycobacterial Susceptibility Testing, a member of Editorial Board of Clinical Microbiology Reviews, an advisor for the Subcommittee on Laboratory Diagnosis of Mycobacterial Infections.
She is the author of more than 175 scientific articles and chapters and has presented more than 100 research abstracts/posters at international meetings. She has been an invited speaker at national and international meetings and was a previous delegate to the International Conference on Macrolides, Azalides, Streptogramins, and Ketolides in Spain and the Western Pacific Congress of Chemotherapy and Infectious Disease in Hong Kong , China . She also was appointed to the Centers for Disease Control Laboratory Proficiency Testing Committee and was appointed to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Committee on the revision of the guidelines for the diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacteria and is a frequent speaker on the ASM, ASCP, and the National Teleconference Network. She is a 2009 recipient of the Gardner Middlebrook Award for significant contributions in the field of mycobacteriology and received the American Society for Microbiology Scherago-Rubin Award for excellence in Microbiology in 2013.