Towards defeating a global killer – evolution, host-adaptation and transmission dynamics of pathogenic Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli) cause a range of diseases and with rising levels of antibiotic resistance is considered a global health threat to humans and animals.

Adhesion is a key factor in pathogenesis: it plays a role in the initial phase of colonisation and subsequent infection.

The diversity and evolution of adhesins in E. coli and related species are largely unknown and the link to pathogenicity is not fully understood, despite the fact that they are considered suitable targets for vaccine development.

Furthermore, there is limited knowledge on how adhesins are spread between bacteria and subsequently to what extent movement of adhesins can cause bacterial host jumping. I will focus on the following aims:1. Map the diversity of adhesins and link to pathogenicity in E. coli and related species. Findings will be experimentally validated based on their expression and functionality2.

Assess the zoonotic potential of ETEC in relevant settings3.

Identify emerging enteric pathotypes and evaluate their disease potentialThis is an interdisciplinary project merging the fields of bioinformatics and ‘wet-lab’ microbiology.

The proposed research to investigate the fundamental biology behind these important pathogens lay the foundation for future therapeutic or preventive treatments and have the ability to improve pathogen diagnostics.