About Us

The primary aim of our lab is to understand how the interaction between Streptococcus pneumoniae and the host leads to a productive infection. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of invasive bacterial infections such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis in children and adults. We strive to decipher the mechanisms of pneumococcal pathogenesis, its interaction with the host and identify/characterize its virulence genes. Conversely, we also study host antimicrobial mechanisms that keep Streptococcus pneumoniae infection in check. The research area comprises multiple disciplines like cell biology, molecular biology, microbiology, etc. Our long-term goal is to develop novel therapeutic approaches or serotype-independent vaccine preparation for pneumococcus that would reduce its disease burden.