Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens
Research Summary
Our research is both proactive and reactive, and concentrates on three bacterial foodborne pathogens that are of considerable concern and/or that cause considerable morbidity and economic cost in the UK: Clostridium botulinum, Campylobacter and Salmonella, and we also have a focus on mathematical biology, predictive microbiology and quantitative risk assessment. Our approach will allow the development of better predictive approaches to contribute to the prevention of foodborne disease. The modelling components of the research will enhance the significance of our data and findings, and will bring a new level of understanding of the basic biology of these dangerous bacteria.
Microbial Complexity
Led by : József Baranyi and Gary Barker
We consider bacterial populations as complex systems because they are high-dimensional, stochastic, non-linear, and hard to predict. We study the interaction between pathogens, natural flora and their metabolic products. Stochastic techniques are used to model the effect of history and the growth environment on the distribution of the lag times of individual bacterial cells. We will explore the complexities associated with quantitative assessments of food borne hazards and, in particular, will examine uncertainty, variability and sensitivity within models of risks from C. botulinum. Quantitative modelling approaches will be extended to include toxin production by foodborne pathogens as well as the influence of mobile genetic elements.
More about Microbial Complexity
Clostridium botulinum
Led by: Mike Peck
We are examining how C. botulinum regulates the production of its neurotoxin to identify the strategies the organism uses to germinate and to begin growth. We also investigate the mechanisms underlying genetic and phenotypic variation between strains of C. botulinum, and assess the effect of this variation upon the pathogenic properties of this organism.
More about Clostridium botulinum
Campylobacter
Led by: Arnoud van Vliet
Our research on Campylobacter is aimed to further understanding of the mechanisms by which the organism senses and responds to stresses encountered in the environment, food chain, and human and avian host. We also characterise aspects of the metabolism and virulence of Campylobacter to inform the evolutionary changes the organism has undergone during adaptation to its avian and human hosts.
Salmonella
Led by: Arthur Thompson
We investigate how Salmonella co-ordinates and regulates its repertoire of virulence properties, recognises multiple environmental stimuli that results in successful infection, and determine how Salmonella detoxifies antimicrobial host defence factors.
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