Welcome to our site!
The Hadjifrangiskou Lab (or in short, the H-Lab) is a diverse group of scientists fascinated with how bacteria make sense of their surroundings. We leverage our efforts to pick apart how bacteria do the equivalent of “thinking” by using small sensory devices called two-component systems. We want to understand how two-component systems work, because they allow pathogens to effectively avoid threats while trying to colonize the human host. We want to understand how two-component systems work because they are absent in humans and present in bacteria that cause disease and therefore make great targets for drug discovery. We focus our attention on bacteria that cause urinary tract infections and specifically on uropathogenic E. coli, which accounts for the majority of community- and hospital-acquired UTIs worldwide. We are also part of the Center for Personalized Microbiology (https://www.vumc.org/cpmi/welcome) and we are a member of VI4 (https://www.vumc.org/viiii/vi4-home). Both serve as resources that enhance our studies and open exciting collaborative avenues.
For those Vanderbilt 2021-22 IGP/QCB students interested in our group for a rotation, the following rotation projects are available:
(1) Characterization of a library of signal transduction mutants. This project will encompass learning numerous in vitro techniques, while testing the behavior of a library UPEC mutants each lacking a two-component system. We want to evaluate how each TCS alters biofilm behavior, interaction with host epithelial surfaces, bacteria-bacteria interactions, adherence and invasion. We have several distinct projects in this sector, that span from basic biochemistry of signal transduction modules to deciphering downstream effects of signaling.
(2) Defining the effect of GABA production in LPS modification and resistance to polymyxin B. We have discovered that the QseB transcription factor controls a metabolic circuit critical for UPEC’s ability to modify its cell envelope and mount antibiotic resistance. This project will focus on deleting key metabolism genes and evaluating the effects of each deletion on cell envelope modification and antibiotic resistance.
(3) Determine the role of outer membrane proteins in mediating antibiotic susceptibility in UPEC mutants with un-structured biofilms. We have discovered that a respiratory oxidase, cytochrome bd, is crucial for biofilm formation in UPEC. We identified that in its absence, several outer membrane porins are unregulated, which could be permissive to antibiotics and could account for the heightened susceptibility of cytochrome bd mutants to antibiotics. This project would involve mutagenesis of the OMPS in UPEC and determination of the effects of each mutation to biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance.
(4) Newest projects! – Defining the pathogenesis of Uropathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa using a combination of cellular and in vivo assays.
As a team we stand up for justice and equality. We support Black History. Please take a look at the links below. We take a look at them regularly!
American Society for Microbiology Resources: ASM Anti-Racism Resources
Smithsonian: Talking about Race – from the Smithsonian
Additional Anti-Racism resources: Additional Resources for parents and educators
Nine key figures of the Harlem Renaissance – https://www.biography.com/news/harlem-renaissance-figures
Diverse Teams are the Most Creative.
If you are creative and want to join our lab, email Dr. H. at: maria.hadjifrangiskou@vanderbilt.edu or at maria.hadjifrangiskou@vumc.org
Follow Dr. H on Twitter:Follow @BacterialTalk