Robert C. Shields

Affiliation confirmed via AI analysis of OpenAlex, ORCID, and web sources.

Federal Grant PI

Assistant Professor

Arkansas State University

Also affiliated: Mayo Clinic (2010); University of Florida (2015–2026); Newcastle Dental Hospital (2015); Arkansas Biosciences Institute (2026); Newcastle University (2012–2022); Florida College (2015–2021)

Faculty Researcher

17 h-index 55 pubs 960 cited

Research Areas

Biomedical Subjects

Links

ORCID Lab Website

OverviewAI-generated summary

Robert C. Shields' research focuses on the genetics, evolution, and behavior of oral bacteria, particularly *Streptococcus mutans*. His work investigates mechanisms of bacterial adaptation and interspecies competition within the oral microbiome. Shields has explored the role of integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) in bacterial evolution and horizontal gene transfer, receiving NIH funding for studies on these elements in oral streptococci.

His laboratory has developed resources for studying essential gene function in *Streptococcus mutans*, including CRISPR interference libraries and transposon sequencing approaches. This work aims to elucidate the genomic underpinnings of bacterial survival and virulence. Shields also investigates the potential of novel compounds as antibacterial agents, examining their effects on essential bacterial pathways like fatty acid biosynthesis.

Shields has published extensively on these topics, with a notable h-index of 17 and over 900 citations. He collaborates with other researchers at Arkansas State University, including Mohammad A. Alam, Fabricio Medina-Bolívar, Shawn King, and Amit Raj Sharma, contributing to a robust research network focused on microbial biology and related fields. His research has been supported by federal grants totaling over $725,000 from agencies including the NIH and NSF.

Metrics

h-index: 17
Publications: 55
Citations: 960

Selected Publications

Genomic instability and biofilm determinants in Streptococcus mutans : insights from a sequence-defined arrayed transposon library (2026)

Journal of Bacteriology DOI OpenAlex
Genomic instability and biofilm determinants in Streptococcus mutans : insights from a sequence-defined arrayed transposon library (2026)

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) DOI OpenAlex
Design, Synthesis, and Development of 4-[2-[3,5-Bis(trifluoromethyl)anilino]thiazolo-4-yl]phenol as a Dual Inhibitor of Fatty Acid Biosynthesis (FASII) to Clear MRSA Infection (2026)

ChemRxiv 1 citation DOI OpenAlex
High-level production of antibacterial pentacyclic triterpenoids from hairy root cultures of Bixa orellana via abiotic elicitation (2026)

Industrial Crops and Products DOI OpenAlex
Post-translational modifications via serine/threonine phosphorylation and GpsB in Streptococcus mutans (2025)

mSystems DOI OpenAlex
Post-translational modifications via serine/threonine phosphorylation and GpsB in Streptococcus mutans (2025)

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) DOI OpenAlex
Bacterial evolution in the oral microbiome: the role of conjugative elements and horizontal gene transfer (2025)

Journal of Bacteriology 4 citations DOI OpenAlex
Characterization of MreCD in Streptococcus mutans (2025)

Journal of Oral Microbiology DOI OpenAlex
Enhanced Production of Anti-Inflammatory and Antibacterial Prenylated Isoflavonoids in Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) Hairy Root Cultures (2025)

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 5 citations DOI OpenAlex
Production of Malheuran A, a Geranylated Flavonoid with Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Activities, in Hairy Root Cultures of Dalea purpurea (2025)

Plants 3 citations DOI OpenAlex
MecA in Streptococcus mutans is a multi-functional protein (2024)

mSphere 4 citations DOI OpenAlex
Genomic analysis of conjugative and chromosomally integrated mobile genetic elements in oral streptococci (2024)

Applied and Environmental Microbiology 3 citations DOI OpenAlex
Effect of peanut stilbenoids, arachidin-1 and arachidin-3, on Streptococcus mutans growth and acid production (2024)

Natural Product Research 3 citations DOI OpenAlex
Construction of an arrayed CRISPRi library as a resource for essential gene function studies in Streptococcus mutans (2023)

Microbiology Spectrum 5 citations DOI OpenAlex
Development and Antibacterial Properties of 4-[4-(Anilinomethyl)-3-phenylpyrazol-1-yl]benzoic Acid Derivatives as Fatty Acid Biosynthesis Inhibitors (2023)

Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 16 citations DOI OpenAlex