My current work involves deciphering signaling pathways with-in the host cells that are hijacked by Gram negative bacteria such as Salmonella, EPEC, and Shigella etc. to facilitate their own invasion and survival in host cells. To cause disease these pathogens must establish intracellular infections, which they achieve by delivering virulence proteins into target host-epithelial cells. These virulence proteins or “effectors” act in cohort by hijacking master regulators of Ras family small GTPases (e.g. Rho, Arf and Rab GTPases). By manipulating Rho and Arf GTPases that control the host cell’s actin cytoskeleton, these pathogens are able to remodel the host cell surface plasma membrane and trigger their own uptake into the cells.
Active Projects
1. Action of Salmonella effector proteins during mammalian cell entry
2. Exploiting pathogenic E.coli to model transmembrane receptor signalling
3. Interplay between Arf and Rho GTPases in remodeling actin dynamics
