*4 Year WT PhD Programme* Role and function of the Type VI secretion system in Gram-negative bacterial pathogens

Work in the SJC lab focuses on understanding, at a molecular level, how Gram-negative bacterial pathogens proliferate and cause disease. More specifically, we are interested in understanding how opportunistic Gram-negative bacterial pathogens use protein secretion systems to interact with other organisms, how secretion systems contribute to successful infection, and the mechanisms by which bacterial cells attack and compete with each other. Opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria, including those of the Enterobacteriaceae, represent a very important cause of antibiotic-resistant hospital acquired infections. Our work is mainly, but not exclusively, devoted to understanding the role and function of the Type VI secretion system in such opportunist pathogens. The Type VI secretion system is currently of great interest. It can be used by bacterial pathogens to directly target eukaryotic cells during host infection. However, it can also be used to efficiently kill rival bacteria and confer a critical competitive advantage on the pathogen in polymicrobial infections or other communities. In this project, the student will contribute to our multi-faceted studies investigating the role, mode of action, secreted toxins and regulation of this system in several pathogens, utilising a broad range of techniques, from classical microbiology, through molecular biology and ‘omics, to biochemistry and cell biology