Biology of Infection

Systemic infections result from the invasion of hosts by microbial pathogens. A critical pathogenic determinant of microbes is their capacity to translocate from the external environment into the host across mucosal barriers, disseminate systemically and reach protected tissues such as the central nervous system and the fetus.

Our research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the ability of microbes to target specifically host cells, cross mucosal, blood-brain and placental barriers, disseminate systemically and within tissues.