Molecular mechanisms of salmonella subversion of host cell membrane traffic

Salmonella bacteria cause typhoid fever, a frequently fatal infectious condition that is common in the developing world. It also causes gastroenteritis, inflammation of the stomach and intestine. Acquired from contaminated food or water, the bacteria infect and interfere with normal function of cells in the stomach and intestine to cause disease. But precisely how this process occurs is largely unknown. Dr. Nathaniel Brown is studying the function of SifA, a bacterial factor known to play an important role in Salmonella-related disease. Dr. Brown is investigating how Salmonella uses SifA to survive and multiply inside host cells. Results from the research could improve understanding of how Salmonella causes disease and potentially be used to develop new treatments for typhoid fever and gastroenteritis.