Unit for Host-Pathogen Molecular Biology
Introduction
Bacterial and fungal pathogens are of major concern. This is in part due to growing resistance to previously effective antibiotics, and in part because medical conditions where the immune system is compromised have become more commonplace.
As molecular biologists, we are working to understand the molecular basis by which bacterial and fungal pathogens interact with their human hosts. We use combined approaches of molecular genetics, imaging, biochemical analysis and bioinformatics to dissect these relationships. We take a ‘Systems Biology' view towards understanding the interaction, recognizing that both microbe and host are complex cellular systems and that each responds in multiple ways to the presence of the other.
The Unit consists of six closely linked research teams in the Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Microbiology. We collaborate with other expert teams in the School of Biomedical Sciences and specialist researchers in Australia and around the world.
Personnel
The Unit’s six research teams are lead by:
• Ana Traven: molecular basis of drug resistance in fungal pathogens
(http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/staff/traven.html).
• Kip Gabriel: protein targeting (and mis-targeting) to mitochondria
(http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/staff/gabriel.html).
• Georg Ramm: optical and electron microscopy, membrane biology
(http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/georg-ramm-homepage.html).
• Terry Kwok: molecular mechanisms by which Helicobacter causes stomach and liver cancers
(http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/staff/kwok-schuelein.html).
• Thomas Naderer: macrophage biology
(http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/staff/naderer.html).
• Trevor Lithgow: molecular machines and protein transport
(http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/staff/lithgow.html).
Further details of our research interests and collaborating laboratories can be found on each lab’s web page.
The Host-Pathogen Molecular Biology Unit
Latest News
Postgraduate scholarships available for research projects focused on Correlated Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM), Fungal pathogen systems biology and Bacterial Protein Secretion.
Honours Projects are available, see the Department's Handbook:
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/info/honours-booklet-oct2010.pdf
Enquiries
Dr. Ana Traven
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
School of Biomedical Sciences
Monash University
Tel: +61-3-9902 9219
Fax: +61-3-9905 3726
E-mail: ana.traven@monash.edu
Where to Find Us
Our labs are located on the second floor in Building 76 as part of the modern Science Technology Research and Innovation Precinct (STRIP). The precinct is equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities including:
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