Microbiology

Multidrug tolerance severely mitigates the ability of bactericidal antibiotics to kill bacteria, even in genetically drug-susceptible strains. This is a major challenge to the effective treatment of chronic infections such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) biofilm infections. Using a broad range of approaches, from bacterial genetics, biochemistry and microbiology to in vivo murine models of P. aeruginosa infections, our lab tries to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms implicated in bacterial stress survival and antibiotic tolerance of P. aeruginosa. We are particularly interested in the stringent response and (p)ppGpp signalling, oxidative stress, biofilm and stationary phase bacterial physiology, and mechanisms of antibiotic lethality. Our goal is to gain mechanistic insights and identify targets or compounds for novel antibacterial discovery.