P. aeruginosa virulence factors
* Type III secretion system – structure, function and inhibition
* Mechanisms of action of ExoU – intracellular traficking
* Two partner secretion (TPS) proteins - ExlA and PdtA
P. aeruginosa regulatory networks
* two component systems involved in virulence and biofilms
Bacterial resistence to immune system – persistence mechanisms (Pseudomonas and Klebsiella)
P. aeruginosa enveloppe
SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES
Bacterial genetics (engineering of KO mutants)
Cellular bacteriology
Genome-wide screens (CRISPR-Cas and Transposon)
NGS (Tn-Seq, WGS, DAP-Seq, CHIP-Seq, RNA-Seq...)
Microscopy (Fluorescence microscopy, IF, 3D video, confocal spinning-disk microscopy, automated microscopy and image analysis)
Host-pathogen interaction (infection models eg : Galleria mellonella, macrophages, epithelial cells and human blood)
Intra-bacterial competition assay (E. coli, Pseudomonas sp, Acinetobacter, Bacillus sp…)
FACS (cytokines measurements, detection and quantification of surface proteins, T3SS toxins injection test using beta-lactamase reporter system, sorting of cells and bacteria)
Protein expression and purification (in E. coli and P. aeruginosa),
Protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions, lipid raft purification
COLLABORATIONS
Harvard Medical School, Boston, US (Steve Lory)
Department of Medical Microbiology, Ultrecht, NE (Susan H.M. Rooijakkers)
