Project: Defining the metal ion homeostatic pathways of Klebsiella pneumoniae
McDevitt group
The extensive resistance profile of antimicrobial resistant pathogens, such as carbapenem-resistant extended-spectrum -lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, is of the highest priority for the WHO. Our recent studies investigating this bacterium have identified numerous uncharacterised pathways involved in the uptake, buffering and efflux of critical metal ions. This project will characterise and determine the function of these putative pathways to understand how they contribute to the growth and virulence of the pathogen. Once defined, we will then investigate the potential for antimicrobial targeting of these pathways in K. pneumoniae.
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McDevitt group
4 vacancies
Research in the McDevitt group seeks to understand how bacterial pathogens acquire and use metal ions and how this shapes the host-pathogen interaction during infection.
McDevitt group Current Projects
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Defining the metal ion homeostatic pathways of Klebsiella pneumoniae
PhD/MPhil, Honours
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Breaking bacterial antibiotic resistance using ionobiotics
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Bacterial subversion strategies to resist host-mediated copper stress
PhD/MPhil, Honours
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Targeting Klebsiella pneumoniae virulence by exploiting weaknesses in metal ion homeostasis
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.