The intestine plays a crucial role in our body, not only in absorbing nutrients from the food we eat but also in hosting a complex network of interactions involving intestinal enterocytes (cells lining the intestine), microbiome bacteria (microorganisms living in the gut), and the immune system. Changes in these factors can disrupt the stability of these interactions, allowing harmful bacteria to invade the intestine and cause diseases.

In our research laboratory, we focus on studying how pathogenic bacteria utilize a specialized mechanism called the Type 3 Secretion System to infect the intestine and evade the immune system’s defenses. These bacteria employ specific proteins known as effector proteins, which establish a network of interactions critical for their infection process. Our goal is to unravel this network of protein interactions to gain a better understanding of how infections occur and how the immune system responds to different infection strategies. To achieve this, we have created mutant strains of these pathogenic bacteria. We then use these mutants to infect mice and observe the effects they have on the intestine. This allows us to gain insights into the mechanisms behind infection and immunity.

Furthermore, we aim to harness the power of probiotics for biotechnological applications in the field of biomedicine. Using advanced techniques from synthetic biology, we intend to develop methods for manipulating strains of bacteria that were previously not well-understood. These particular bacterial strains have the potential to serve as indicators of good health and offer protection against intestinal diseases. Our research seeks to boost the capabilities of these probiotics as valuable tools for improving human health.