Bacterial Defense Systems and Antimicrobial Resistance Group
Our research group investigates fundamental bacterial survival mechanisms and their implications for antimicrobial resistance. Our research focuses on two interconnected areas: bacterial DNA organization and maintenance, and type I toxin-antitoxin systems. We study how bacteria respond to DNA-damaging antibiotics.
We translate this fundamental research into practical applications by developing novel antimicrobial peptides and evaluating combinatorial antibiotic treatments for resistant bacteria in collaboration with clinicians at OUH. Additionally, we apply our expertise to sustainability challenges by engineering Cupriavidus necator to convert waste carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals.
Our work combines molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, and clinical microbiology to address both fundamental questions in bacterial biology and practical challenges in antimicrobial resistance.