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Short Biography
Coming soon
AMBER postdoctoral fellowship subject (fourth call)
Visualizing Microbial Injection Systems in Human Microbiomes
The skin microbiome is essential for maintaining skin health and immune function but also serves as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance, with a significant portion of MRSA strains exhibiting methicillin resistance. Targeted delivery of antimicrobials would significantly support healing processes while mitigating resistance. Contractile Injection Systems (CIS), which are natural nano-syringes found in environmental microbes, offer a promising avenue. They are capable of transporting activated effectors (toxins) across membranes.
This proposal aims to harness the potential of CIS to combat bacterial infections and antimicrobial resistance. We aim to develop targeted therapeutic tools that selectively eliminate pathogenic and resistant bacteria while preserving the commensal skin microbiota. This approach enhances wound healing and provides a pioneering strategy to treat skin infections and address the growing challenge of resistance.
To achieve this goal, we will:
i) Structurally and functionally characterize CIS and evolutionarily related systems found in human microbiomes;
ii) Adapt CIS technologies against resistant skin pathogens.
A central focus of the project will be the structural investigation and characterization of microbiome associated CIS using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). We will resolve the architecture of novel microbiome associated CIS at high resolution and visualize their function within microbial communities and host-associated environments. Insights gained guide re-engineering and application of CIS as precision antimicrobial tools.
Location: Lund, Sweden
Organisation: Lund University, Sweden
Links
AMBER call in EURAXESS main call (starting point for application)
Eva Maria Rebrova's profile in Lund University Research portal
Department of Medical Structural Biology's profile in Lund University Research portal