Academic interests
My project aims at investigating the structure-function relationship in bacterial adhesins.
The main objective is to find lead compounds for inhibitors that target a specific class of adhesins widespread in Gram-negative bacterial pathogens (trimeric autotransporter adhesins).
Since adhesion of bacteria to host tissues is frequently among the first steps in host colonization by pathogens, it is of great importance to elucidate the mechanism of trimeric autotransporter biogenesis, and to obtain a molecular understanding of adhesin-host and adhesin-surface interactions.
I will be involved in the development of assays that will allow us to screen for small-molecule inhibitors of the above processes.
Background
PhD at University of Konstanz
- Conditional gene expression using ribozymes