Sebastian Kurz, MD, PhD, FCCP
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Biography
Dr. Kurz is a member a member of the advanced airways disease program and the current director of the COPD clinic. He obtained his MD and PhD in Microbiology from Julius-Maximilians University Wuerzburg, Germany. He underwent residency training at CWRU Cleveland, where he also completed a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
He has a focus on complex structural lung disease, inflammatory airways disease, and lung infections with clinical experience in mycobacterial lung disease, including tuberculosis and its sequelae, NTM and bronchiectasis, complex pleuropulmonary and airway infections. His research focuses on identification of novel antibiotic combinations to treat resistant mycobacteria.
He is board certified in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians (FCCP), member of the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society.
Departments & Organizations
- Internal Medicine
- Yale Bronchiectasis and NTM Infections Program
- Yale Medicine
Education & Training
- PhD
- Iulius Maximilians University Wuerzburg (2005)
- MD
- Iulius Maximilians University Wuerzburg (2005)
Research
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Research at a Glance
Publications Timeline
Publications
2025
The Role of β-Lactam Antibiotics in Treating Mycobacterium abscessus: From Laboratory Insights to Clinical Applications and the Case for Clinical Trials
Dousa K, Shin E, Kurz S, Rubin E, Holland S, Olivier K, Daley C, Kreiswirth B, Pottinger P, Bonomo R. The Role of β-Lactam Antibiotics in Treating Mycobacterium abscessus: From Laboratory Insights to Clinical Applications and the Case for Clinical Trials. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2025, ciaf547. PMID: 41026774, DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaf547.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricConceptsB-lactam antibioticsB-lactamaseB-lactamMycobacterium abscessusClinical trialsIn vitro susceptibility studiesB-lactamase inhibitorsDual inhibitionStructural lung diseaseLaboratory insightsNon-tuberculous mycobacteriaPublished clinical casesInhibitor combinationsBiochemical characterizationLung diseaseTreatment challengesCell wall biologyClinical casesL,D-transpeptidasesClinical experienceBlaMabClinical applicationAbscessusFunctional impactPeptidoglycan crosslinkingExploring β-lactam interactions with DacB1: unraveling optimal therapies for combating drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Nantongo M, Nguyen D, Shin E, Bethel C, Taracila M, Dousa K, Li Q, Fletcher S, Kurz S, Kreiswirth B, Boom W, Holland S, Rubin E, Bonomo R. Exploring β-lactam interactions with DacB1: unraveling optimal therapies for combating drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. MBio 2025, 16: e01372-25. PMID: 40637416, PMCID: PMC12345272, DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01372-25.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsB-lactamase inhibitorsDrug-resistant TBB-lactam antibioticsB-lactamMinimum inhibitory concentrationTB treatmentB-lactamaseDifferential scanning fluorimetryPeptidoglycan biosynthesisPublic health threatExploration of alternative therapeutic strategiesTreatment success rateCurrent treatment optionsDrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosisD,D-carboxypeptidaseAcyl-enzyme adductCell wall synthesisAlternative therapeutic strategiesTB-related mortalityDrug-resistant strainsGlobal public health threatAcyl-enzyme formationDrug-resistant MTB strainsCombination therapyInhibitor combinationsP-1503. Dual β-Lactam Approach for Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus Infections in Adults – Results in 19 Patients
Kalyatanda G, Dousa K, Lyons H, Mardourian M, Rhodes J, Iakovidis A, El-Helou G, Wilson B, Daley C, Holland S, Kreiswirth B, Nguyen D, Shin E, Kurz S, Johnson J, Bonomo R. P-1503. Dual β-Lactam Approach for Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus Infections in Adults – Results in 19 Patients. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2025, 12: ofae631.1672. PMCID: PMC11778049, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae631.1672.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsSubspecies abscessusB-lactamAssociated with high cure ratesIn vitro susceptibility resultsMulti-drug regimensCurrent treatment regimensSolid organ transplantationHigh cure ratesTime to initiationOptimize treatment outcomesMab infectionSynergy testClinical cureImmunocompromised patientsPulmonary infectionDiscontinued treatmentTreatment regimensCase reportClinical outcomesCure rateImmunocompromised individualsAutoimmune diseasesTreatment successEarly treatmentCulture conversionP-788. Exploring β-Lactam Interactions with DacB1: Unraveling Optimal Therapies for Combating Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Nantongo M, Nguyen D, Shin E, Bethel C, Taracila M, Dousa K, Kurz S, Nguyen L, Kreiswirth B, Boom W, Bonomo R. P-788. Exploring β-Lactam Interactions with DacB1: Unraveling Optimal Therapies for Combating Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2025, 12: ofae631.982. PMCID: PMC11778675, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae631.982.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMinimum inhibitory concentrationAcyl-enzyme adductOxyanion holeB-lactamB-lactamasePeptidoglycan synthesis pathwayCarbonyl groupHydrophobic interactionsElectrospray ionization mass spectrometryAcyl-enzyme formationB-lactam antibioticsMichaelis-Menten complexC1‐methyl groupProtein motifsPeptidoglycan biosynthesisDrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosisIonization mass spectrometryPeptidoglycan synthesisD-carboxypeptidaseAnalysis of meropenemB-lactamase inhibitorsClinical isolatesBroth microdilutionClinically achievable concentrationsSynthesis pathway
2024
Durlobactam in combination with β-lactams to combat Mycobacterium abscessus
Shin E, Dousa K, Taracila M, Bethel C, Nantongo M, Nguyen D, Akusobi C, Kurz S, Plummer M, Daley C, Holland S, Rubin E, Bulitta J, Boom W, Kreiswirth B, Bonomo R. Durlobactam in combination with β-lactams to combat Mycobacterium abscessus. Antimicrobial Agents And Chemotherapy 2024, 69: e01174-24. PMID: 39714147, PMCID: PMC11823594, DOI: 10.1128/aac.01174-24.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsMeSH Keywords and ConceptsSynergistic effects of sulopenem in combination with cefuroxime or durlobactam against Mycobacterium abscessus
Dousa K, Shin E, Kurz S, Plummer M, Nantongo M, Bethel C, Taracila M, Nguyen D, Kreiswith B, Daley C, Remy K, Holland S, Bonomo R. Synergistic effects of sulopenem in combination with cefuroxime or durlobactam against Mycobacterium abscessus. MBio 2024, 15: e00609-24. PMID: 38742824, PMCID: PMC11237399, DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00609-24.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsD,D-carboxypeptidaseMinimum inhibitory concentrationB-lactamPenicillin-binding-proteinCell wall synthesisL,D-transpeptidasesResistance to common antibioticsLowest minimum inhibitory concentrationWall synthesisCystic fibrosisD-carboxypeptidaseMass spectrometry analysisB-lactamaseThioester bondRate of treatment failureCell-based assaysMultiple antibioticsB-lactam ringsCommon antibioticsD-transpeptidasesB-lactamase inhibitorsCysteine residuesTime-kill studiesStructural lung diseaseMultidrug-resistant tuberculosisDurlobactam, a Diazabicyclooctane β‑Lactamase Inhibitor, Inhibits BlaC and Peptidoglycan Transpeptidases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Nantongo M, Nguyen D, Bethel C, Taracila M, Li Q, Dousa K, Shin E, Kurz S, Nguyen L, Kreiswirth B, Boom W, Plummer M, Bonomo R. Durlobactam, a Diazabicyclooctane β‑Lactamase Inhibitor, Inhibits BlaC and Peptidoglycan Transpeptidases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. ACS Infectious Diseases 2024, 10: 1767-1779. PMID: 38619138, DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00119.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsESI-MSElectrospray ionization mass spectrometryIonization mass spectrometryB-lactamase inhibitorsAcyl-enzyme complexMycobacterial cell wall synthesisMolecular dockingMass spectrometryActive siteInhibit BlaCPeptidoglycan transpeptidaseDiazabicyclooctaneSynthesisAntibiotic susceptibility testingCell wall synthesisInhibition kineticsDrug targetsB-lactamaseDurlobactamSusceptibility testingComplexDockingSpectrometryWall synthesisPeptidoglycan synthesis
2023
Eradicating Pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus: The Promise of Dual β-Lactam Therapy
Alahmdi B, Dousa K, Kurz S, Kaufman A, Bonomo R, Taimur S. Eradicating Pulmonary Mycobacterium abscessus: The Promise of Dual β-Lactam Therapy. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2023, 10: ofad312. PMID: 37383246, PMCID: PMC10296056, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad312.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetric
2022
1432. Exploring Cell Wall Targets to Overcome Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb): Ceftriaxone (CRO) Inhibits LdtMt2, a Major Peptidoglycan (PG) Synthase
Nguyen D, Redmond S, Dousa K, Bethel C, Taracila M, Li Q, Kurz S, Pavelka M, Papp-Wallace K, Holland S, Kreiswirth B, Boom H, Bonomo R. 1432. Exploring Cell Wall Targets to Overcome Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb): Ceftriaxone (CRO) Inhibits LdtMt2, a Major Peptidoglycan (PG) Synthase. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2022, 9: ofac492.1261. PMCID: PMC9752925, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac492.1261.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsDrug-resistant tuberculosisB-lactamaseMTB isolatesDifficult-to-treat infectionsB-lactamase inhibitorsFractional inhibitory concentration indexMultidrug-resistant mycobacteriaIn vitro susceptibilityCystic Fibrosis FoundationBroth microdilution methodPG synthasesElectrospray ionization-mass spectrometryCeftriaxone MICsDR-TBSusceptibility testingImipenemMeropenemTB guidelinesCeftriaxoneB-lactamTreatment strategiesClinical studiesLowered MICClavulanateMicrodilution methodInhibiting Mycobacterium abscessus Cell Wall Synthesis: Using a Novel Diazabicyclooctane β-Lactamase Inhibitor To Augment β-Lactam Action
Dousa K, Nguyen D, Kurz S, Taracila M, Bethel C, Schinabeck W, Kreiswirth B, Brown S, Boom W, Hotchkiss R, Remy K, Jacono F, Daley C, Holland S, Miller A, Bonomo R. Inhibiting Mycobacterium abscessus Cell Wall Synthesis: Using a Novel Diazabicyclooctane β-Lactamase Inhibitor To Augment β-Lactam Action. MBio 2022, 13: e03529-21. PMID: 35073757, PMCID: PMC8787486, DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03529-21.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsD-carboxypeptidaseB-lactamB-lactamaseDisrupt cell wall synthesisStable acyl-enzyme complexesCell wall synthesisAcyl-enzyme complexMichaelis-Menten complexB-lactamase inhibitorsWall synthesisPeptidoglycan synthesisStructural lung diseaseTriple drug combinationIsolates to amoxicillinCell-based assaysMycobacterium abscessusMIC rangeImipenemMichaelis constantAcylation rateInhibitor combinationsDurlobactamMultidrug resistanceTherapeutic regimensCystic fibrosis
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- October 01, 2025
Yale PCCSM Faculty Earn National Recognition at CHEST Annual Meeting
- April 14, 2025
Expanded Yale Center Enhances Access to Asthma, COPD, and Bronchiectasis Diagnosis, Care, and Research
- January 02, 2025
Yale Department of Internal Medicine Faculty Promotions and Appointments (January 2025)
- November 25, 2024
Celebrating Leadership and Education: Yale Faculty Recognized at CHEST Annual Meeting
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