Outsmarting the host: mechanisms of bacterial persistence by Dr Meera Unnikrishnan
Persistent bacterial infections are resilient to antibiotic therapy and are challenging to treat effectively. Our research aims to understand how bacteria survive within the host and to identify novel bacterial mechanisms that can be targeted for therapy. We study the healthcare-associated, antibiotic resistant pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile, identifying virulence pathways that mediate bacterial survival during infection. This talk will summarise recent research from our group, highlighting some exciting results on the specialised type VII secretion systems, which are key virulence factors of S. aureus.