Research Activities

Many bacterial pathogens have acquired the capacity to attach to and/or replicate inside human cells by avoiding cell intrinsic innate immune pathways. The subversion of host cell signaling by pathogens frequently depends on the ability to transport virulence proteins, called effector proteins, into the infected cell via specialised protein secretion systems. We work on a range of virulence effectors from pathogenic bacteria that interfere with host innate immune signalling pathways and block inflammation and cell death. In this way effector proteins can be used as tools to understand the innate responses important for control of the pathogen. Our long term goal is to uncover new host processes and structures that are targeted by bacteria during infection leading to the design and development of novel anti-infective agents to treat a range of infectious diseases.

Research Keywords

Researching in the following areas: Host-pathogen interactions, Bacterial pathogenesis, Bacterial intestinal infections, Inflammatory bowel disease, Legionnaire's disease