Overview
Topic status: We're looking for students to study this topic.
Staphylococcus aureus continues to be a leading cause of bacterial infections in healthcare settings worldwide. However, the recent emergence of highly pathogenic Community-Acquired-Methicillin-Resistant- S. aureus (CA-MRSA) strains has changed the epidemiology of severe S. aureus infections such that all populations can be considered at risk. It is increasingly clear that prominent CA-MRSA strains are particularly adept at evasion of the innate immune response - a feature that likely contributes to enhanced pathogenesis. Although progress has been made towards identifying factors involved in CA-MRSA pathogenesis, several key questions remain unanswered. For example, the molecular basis of enhanced transmission of the Queensland clone of CA-MRSA remains undetermined. Understanding the enhanced transmission phenotype will likely provide new insight into the basis for emergence of epidemic S. aureus clones. A complete understanding of pathogenic factors that impact the evolution of epidemic CA-MRSA strains will be essential to guide development of novel therapeutics for prevention and treatment of severe S. aureus disease.
Hypothesis: That particular virulence genes contribute to the increased pathogenesis and transmission of CA-MRSA versus Hospital-Acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) strains.
Aim 1: To determine the virulence gene profiles of HA-MRSA strains (Australian and international clones)
Aim 2: To determine the virulence gene profiles of CA-MRSA strains (Australian and international clones)
Aim 3: To identify putative diagnostic, therapeutic and vaccine candidates
Methods and techniques that will be developed in the course of this project:
- Microarray analysis
- Real-Time PCR
- Cell culture
- Study level
- Honours
- Supervisors
- QUT
- Organisational unit
Science and Engineering Faculty
- Research area
- Contact
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Please contact the supervisor.
Associate Professor Flavia Huygens
