Pathogenesis, antigenic variation and genetic organization

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Created: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 12:33

The overall aim of this project is to gain an increased knowledge of the virulence properties of Borrelia spirochetes. We will continue the basic research on the mechanisms of antigenic variation of Borrelia and to characterise and define the components involved in the interactions between RF Borrelia and erythrocytes as well as the effect(s) that the erythrocyte rosetting exhibit at the cellular and molecular level in the mammalian host. We will also investigate what molecules that are involved in the interactions employed by B. burgdorferi s.l., the Lyme disease agent, with different mammalian cells and tissues. As well as structural and functional studies on those outer surface located molecules. Read More

PI: Sven Bergström

dNTPs as cellular regulators

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Created: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 12:33

Genetic information in most organisms is stored as DNA. DNA is synthesized from four building blocks, dNTPs. The DNA is constantly damaged either spontaneously or by environmental agents. If the damaged DNA is not repaired, it acquires mutations. Some mutations may cause genetic instability and cancer. In eukaryotes, DNA damage leads to arrest of cell cycle, transcriptional activation of DNA repair genes, and apoptosis. These responses allow cells to survive the damage and repair the DNA. Read More

PI: Anrei Chabes

Antifungal immunity

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Created: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 12:33

Our group “Antifungal Immunity” is interested in the fundamental processes during infections with pathogenic fungi. We combine studies on how the innate immune system restricts the spread of fungal pathogens and how these microbes in turn react to the host environment. Read More

PI: Constantin Urban

Read more: Antifungal immunity

Molecular mechanisms governing gram-positive bacterial pathogenesis

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Created: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 12:33

Our group is interested in the understanding of molecular mechanisms governing the interaction of gram-positive pathogens with their hosts, employing the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A streptococcus, GAS) as a model organism. During an ongoing disease process, pathogens are heavily exposed to different specific and non-specific host defence mechanisms, amongst others growth-limiting conditions and stress factors at the site of infection. To thrive under these hostile conditions, pathogenic bacteria have developed well-directed strategies leading to a coordinated expression of virulence factors in response to host-induced environmental changes. In this regard, small regulatory RNA molecules and regulated proteolysis play key roles in gram-positive bacterial pathogenesis and constitute the current research focus of our lab. Read More

PI: Emmanuelle Charpentier

Virus-host interactions

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Created: Tuesday, 12 June 2007 12:33

In our project we are identifying and characterizing molecules and molecular mechanisms that regulate virus binding to host cells. We focus on adenoviruses, picornaviruses and to some extent influenza A virus. A major goal of our research is to define target mechanisms for antiviral treatment. Read More

PI: Nilklas Arnberg