Overview
Our laboratory studies transport systems of bacterial pathogens. We focus on the type III secretion system (T3SS), which is a multi-protein complex that plays a key role in bacterial virulence. The T3SS is dedicated to the secretion and injection of bacterial virulence factors, termed effectors, into the cytoplasm of the host cells. Understanding this secretion process will enable us to design novel therapeutic drugs that target the bacterial pathogens causing plant, animal, and human diseases. Moreover, this knowledge might offer novel methods of drug delivery.
Projects
Molecular Assembly and Host Targeting Mechanisms of the Type III Secretion System
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The Type III Secretion System (T3SS) is a complex molecular machine essential for bacterial virulence, requiring precise assembly and targeting mechanisms for effective pathogen-host interaction. Our research aims to elucidate both the assembly process of the T3SS and the subsequent host membrane targeting mediated by the translocon complex.
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Diet and bacterial virulence
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Our lab explores how dietary components influence bacterial pathogenesis and virulence mechanisms. We examine how different nutritional environments affect bacterial metabolism, colonization abilities, and host-pathogen interactions.
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Engineering Bacterial Secretion Systems for Oral administration of Protein Therapeutics
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Our lab is pioneering an innovative approach to one of the most significant challenges in modern medicine: the oral delivery of protein-based drugs. We are developing a groundbreaking solution by harnessing bacteria with secretion systems as natural protein delivery platforms.
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Polymicrobial Infections: Beyond Single-Pathogen Diseases
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Our lab investigates the complex dynamics of multi-pathogen infections, challenging the traditional one-microbe, one-disease paradigm that has dominated bacterial infection research for over a century.
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Techniques we use
Our lab combines state-of-the-art microbiology, molecular biology, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to shed light on this highly important bacterial transport complex. The lab has vast experience in using molecular biology tools, protein expression and purification techniques, enzymatic assays, FRET experiments, and various biochemical and biophysical methods.
