Host-Pathogen Interactions

The pathogenesis of Shigella

We use the intracellular pathogen Shigella as a model system to study bacterial behavior in the human host. Our main interest is to learn how bacteria sense their surroundings to cause disease. We are investigating:

  • Metabolic byproducts as signals to coordinate gene expression

  • The role of c-di-GMP signalling in regulating virulence

  • Using intestinal enteroids ('mini-guts') to study Shigella pathogenesis