Szurmant Laboratory

Pathogenic bacteria are some of the most formidable threats to human health. These threats appeared all but eliminated, thanks due to the discovery of powerful antibiotics. The constant exposure of bacteria to these antibiotics has selected for potent multi-drug resistant bacteria, so-called superbugs that are making a strong comeback. To cope with this renewed threat a dedicated effort by the scientific community is needed to identify new drug targets and to generate inhibitors of such targets. The Szurmant laboratory contributes to this endeavor by studying essential aspects of bacterial physiology and signal transduction in model bacteria and selected pathogens. A unique feature of the lab is the integration of information stemming from numerous disciplines, including structural biology, genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics and biophysics.