Understanding the molecular basis of NAD-depleting toxins in bacteria

Pathogenic bacteria are a major problem to human health and are currently on the WHO critical list of threats to human life and wellbeing. Thus, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial pathogenesis is highly important for future medicine. The aim of this project is to understand how certain bacterial proteins known as "toxins" function at the molecular level and providing a detailed insight into this mechanism of survival, which is common among pathogenic bacteria. Elucidation of this process will allow us to get a better understanding of how bacteria are able to become dormant during infection and avoid detection by the immune system as well as the action of antibiotics.