Research

Decoding Bacterial Pathogens: Integrative Insights into Disease Mechanisms

By combining infection biology, structural biology, and cryo-electron tomography, our research unveils the molecular roots of diseases using cutting-edge imaging directly in patient-derived samples.

Integrative Multiscale Approach

Our lab aims to understand how bacteria invade and survive in challenging environments by employing an integrative, multiscale approach. Central to our research is cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) of cryo-focused ion beam (FIB) milled cells. This cutting-edge technique opens windows into the interior of infected eukaryotic cells and provides near-native insights into macromolecular interactions between bacteria and host, bridging structural biology with cell biology. By combining cryoET with complementary imaging modalities, genetics, and functional assays, we uncover mechanisms that span from the molecular to the cellular scale.

Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

UTIs are among the most common bacterial infections. Although often considered easily treatable with antibiotics, many UTIs remain unresolved and recur. Most UTIs are caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which can invade the cytoplasm of uroepithelial cells, forming an intracellular niche. Here, UPEC are protected from antibiotics and host defenses, leading to persistent infections. Our research aims to decipher the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these recurrent infections.

Bacterial Multicellularity

Bacteria exhibit remarkable organizational flexibility. Some form true multicellular organisms with specialized cells and cooperative behaviors, while others adopt multicellular-like states under certain environmental conditions. We are fascinated by the diverse ways bacteria organize into multicellular forms, their reasons for doing so, and the communication strategies they employ in these states.

Clinical Cryo-Electron Microscopy

In collaboration with clinical partners, we are establishing robust cryoET workflows for biomedical imaging using patient-derived samples. This innovative approach allows us to directly investigate the molecular basis of diseases within clinically relevant contexts, providing insights that could inform future diagnostics and treatments.