Maintaining cell wall integrity in Gram-Negative Bacteria

Pathogenic bacteria have the potential to devastate humanity, and without antibiotics (which are failing), we face a humanitarian crisis. The bacterial cell wall is a principle target of antibiotics, and its understanding is essential to preventing an antibiotic crisis. Our hypothesis is that the process of cell wall peptidoglycan and outer membrane biogenesis must be linked and is important for antibiotic resistance. Warwick scientists have established a collaboration with Professor Lori Burrows at McMaster University in Canada who has the specialist genetic tools and facilities to enable us to explore this hypothesis in P. aeuginosa, one of the most important Gram-Negative pathogens.
This will establish at a molecular level how these processes are linked and what proteins may be involved. Knowledge gained in this collaboration could be of fundamental biological importance as well as the basis upon which future antimicrobial strategies that target the two processes in parallel.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lori Burrow

Student:

Partner:

University of Warwick

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

McMaster University

Program: