Summary
RESEARCH INTERESTS
We are focused on understanding the physiology of bacterial pathogens in relation to chronic infection. We study the mechanisms by which bacteria sense starvation stress, shut down metabolism and maintain cell integrity to enter into a persistent state within the context of chronic infections.
We employ an eclectic mix of approaches including molecular genetics, mutational studies, transcriptomic and metabolomics approaches, targeted proteomics and flow cytometry as well as in vitro characterisation of proteins.
Our research is in two main disease areas:
1. Tuberculosis.
2. Infections of the Cystic Fibrosis Lung
Selected Publications
Journal Articles
Behrends V, Ryall B, Zlosnik JEA, et al., 2013, Metabolic adaptations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa during cystic fibrosis chronic lung infections, Environmental Microbiology, Vol:15, ISSN:1462-2912, Pages:398-408
Behrends V, Ryall B, Zlosnik JEA, et al., 2012, Metabolic adaptations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa during cystic fibrosis lung infections, International Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol:302, ISSN:1438-4221, Pages:109-109
Trauner A, Lougheed KEA, Bennett MH, et al., 2012, The dormancy regulator DosR controls ribosome stability in hypoxic mycobacteria, Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol:287, ISSN:0021-9258, Pages:24053-24063
Williams HD, Davies JC, 2012, Basic science for the chest physician: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the cystic fibrosis airway, Thorax, Vol:67, ISSN:0040-6376, Pages:465-467
Behrends V, Ryall B, Wang X, et al., 2010, Metabolic profiling of Pseudomonas aeruginosa demonstrates that the anti-sigma factor MucA modulates osmotic stress tolerance, Molecular Biosystems, Vol:6, ISSN:1742-206X, Pages:562-569
Ryall B, Davies JC, Wilson R, et al., 2008, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, cyanide accumulation and lung function in CF and non-CF bronchiectasis patients, European Respiratory Journal, Vol:32, ISSN:0903-1936, Pages:740-747