Growing resistance to antibiotics poses a grave threat to human health and developing novel strategies to combat bacterial infections is one of this century’s most important scientific challenges. Microbiology at the School of Infection and Immunity is focused on a molecular understanding bacterial pathogenesis and utilising this to develop novel therapeutics for the treatment of bacterial infections.
Individual research projects may cover a range of human pathogens that cause community and hospital acquired infections in addition to economically important animal pathogens. The bacterial species studied include S. aureus, E. coli, S. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, C. difficile, C. jejuni, S. enteric and P. multocida.
Basic science, preclinical and clinical areas are available for study, with individual research projects tailored around the expertise of principal investigators within the School. A range of technical approaches are covered including molecular biology, genetics, genomics, proteomics, immunology, structural biology, biophysics and in vitro and in vivo models of disease. Specific areas of interest include:
molecular basis of virulence in Staphylococcus aureus and C. difficile
bacterial manipulation of apoptosis
bacteriophage and pathogenicity island genetics
development of therapeutic anti-virulence strategies
pneumonia and cystic fibrosis
interactions of bacteria with the host immune system
genomic approaches to understanding pathogen evolution
novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of C. difficile infection
mechanisms of Campylobacter jejuni pathogenesis
development of therapeutic species specific antibiotics
