We are interested in understanding and exploiting microbial weapons: molecules, proteins and nanomachines used by microbes to kill rival cells.
Microbes deploy many amazing chemical and biological weapons. Alexander Flemming’s discovery of one such weapon – penicillin – developed into one of the most important technologies of the 20th century, adding 20y to the average human lifespan.
But antibiotics are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many antimicrobials – including weaponised viruses, poison spearguns, hole-punching nanomachines – in the microbial arsenal. Many more await discovery.
We are interested in understanding microbial weapons, defences, and their evolution. We want to use this knowledge to develop robust alternatives to current antibiotics and biocontrol agents – fighting resistance by using microbes’ own weapons against them.
If you share this interest, please get in touch! See also current lab vacancies.
