Infection Biology

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Infection Biology

Infection Biology researchers at UCD investigate virulence mechanisms of pathogenic microorganisms and viruses, host response to infection, immunopathologies such as inflammation and immune system dysfunction as well as the development of novel therapeutics and drug delivery. The breadth of infection biology research in UCD is well-represented in SBBS, with the following areas being of particular focus in the School:

Host pathogen interactions
Host response to infection
Molecular Genetics of Infection Biology
Pathogen Genomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics
Computational Infection Biology

The SBBS Principal Investigators of SBBS collaborate closely with UCD staff in the Schools of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Biology and Environmental Science, and the Conway Institute. The School’s continuing ability to attract national and international funding in this area has resulted in a strong track record of publication and postgraduate training.

Infection Biology is a pivotal area of research in general, and complements all areas of biomedical research within SBBS. Academic staff’s expertise from this research area benefits a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in exceptional research-led teaching.

The Butler lab studies factors controlling virulence in pathogenic fungi, in particular identifying the regulatory pathways controlling the growth of biofilms of Candida parapsilosis on medical devices; investigating the response of pathogenic yeast to hypoxia; and characterising the role of specific yeast transcription factors in virulence in animal models. We use a combination of next generation sequencing, comparative genomics and evolutionary biology approaches. Read more...

For more information see the (opens in a new window)Butler Lab web site

Keywords: Fungal infections; Candida; Comparative genomics; genomics; transciptomics; fungal evolution.

Research Interests: antibiotics, antifungals, micro-organisms, synthetic biology. Read more...

Director, Thematic PhD programme in Infection Biology

Research Interests: infection biology; Mycobacterium tuberculosis

CHRONIC INFECTION: Chronic infection is the hallmark of cystic fibrosis lung disease. I have a key interest in respiratory pathogens that cause opportunistic infections in cystic fibrosis patients and in more recent years, in vaccine development. In particular, I focus on Burkholderia cepaciacomplex. This is a highly antimicrobial resistant pathogen and effective treatments are challenging. I also have an interest host responses of epithelial cells, mechanisms of pathogenesis and mechanisms of bacterial adaptation which facilitate chronic colonisation. We are currently examining the impact hypoxia in chronic colonization and the switch that controls the transition from acute to chronic infection. We also investigate two other pathogens associated with CF-infections, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Mycobacterium abscessus.

VACCINES: As a result of our investigations on mechanisms of attachment of pathogens to lung epithelial cells, we have identified a number of novel bacterial adhesins, which are potential vaccine candidates. The antigens protect mice against Burkholderia and have potential as novel vaccine antigens. We have identified vaccine candidates against a range of difficult to treat bacterial infections: Burkholderia cepacia complex, Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of the tropical disease, melioidosis; Klebsiella pneumoniae;Acinetobacter baumannii and verotoxigenic E. coli.

Research Interests: biochemical mechanisms behind Prion diseases; Therapeutics; link between Prion disorders and Alzheimer's disease; aging; oxidative stress.

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Research Interests: Host-pathogen interactions, Bovine and cameline reproductive tract infections, Foal pneumonia, Water quality, Waterborne infectious disease, Microbial Source Tracking.

Research Interests: Host pathogen interaction, streptococci, staphylococci, E. coli, platelets, glycolipids, lipoteichoic acid, lipopolysaccharide, CD36, infection biology.

Research Interests: biocatalysis and metabolic engineering; biodegradable polymer synthesis by bacteria; Enzymes as biocatalysts in the transformation of aromatic and aliphatic substrates.

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Research Interests: Bacterial Gene Regulation; Food Pathogens; Campylobacter jejuni; Salmonella Typhimurium; DNA Supercoiling.

Research Interests: bioinformatics, including gene expression data analysis; genomics.

Contact the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science

H1.38 O’Brien Centre for Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

T: +353 1 716 2130 | E: undergrad.sbbs@ucd.ie | Location Map

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