One of the most widespread fungal infections affecting 20-25% of the global population is dermatophytosis. This is caused by fungi that infect the skin, nails, and hair, leading to common conditions such as athlete’s foot or ringworm. Dermatophytosis is uncomfortable and painful, and in at-risk groups, the consequences can be more severe. For instance, in diabetics, fungal infections of the feet may precede the development of foot ulcers which, in turn, may lead to lower-limb amputation. Therefore, given the increase in obesity and accompanying type 2 diabetes, the incidence of more serious cases of dermatophytosis may rise.
Antifungal treatment for dermatophytosis is lengthy, often requiring weeks or months, and there is a high probability of relapse or reinfection. Alarmingly, antifungal resistance is increasing, which could eventually make dermatophytosis untreatable. Therefore, better treatments are needed, but a major hurdle in their discovery is that dermatophytes are poorly understood, and relatively few virulence factors are known.
We have developed a novel ex vivo skin infection model for dermatophytes (Ho et al., 2020), paving the way for exciting discoveries. For instance, utilising this infection model, we identified several polymers with antifungal activity (Ho et al., 2021).
In this project, we aim to unravel the secrets of virulence factors behind these fungal infections utilising this model. First, we aim to identify virulence factors by determining which genetic factors are specifically overexpressed during infection, using techniques such as RNAseq. Next, using CRISPR/Cas9, a powerful genome editing technology, we will create fungi that lack these virulence factors and then investigate their importance using the infection model.
Thus, the main outcome of the project is to identify potential therapeutic targets, thereby developing a platform for developing novel antifungal compounds.
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