Microbial Ultrastructure

本项目描述了微生物超微结构的研究及其与人类健康的关系。最近的两项技术进步使这类研究成为可能：超分辨率光学显微镜和低温电子断层扫描的发展。将结构生物学与微生物学、传统分子生物学和生物化学相结合，重点研究细菌包膜的结构-功能关系和IV型分泌机制。揭示膜生物发生和分泌的结构和机制细节将为开发孢子特异性消毒剂（洁净室和医院环境）、发芽阻滞剂（食品工业）和治疗靶点（人类健康和农业）提供新方法。

This project describes studies of microbial ultrastructure and how it relates to human health. Two recent technological advances allow for such studies: the development of super-resolution light microscopy and cryo electron tomography. By combining structural biology with microbiology, traditional molecular biology and biochemistry, my lab will focus on the structure-function relationship of the bacterial cell envelope and type IV secretion mechanisms. Unraveling the structural and mechanistic details of membrane biogenesis and secretion will provide novel approaches for developing spore-specific disinfectants (clean rooms and hospital settings), germination blockers (food industry) and therapeutic targets (human health and agriculture).