Project: Developing a novel therapeutic approach to treat Streptococcus pneumoniae infections
McDevitt group
Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the world’s foremost bacterial pathogens, responsible for more than one million deaths every year. Although we have antimicrobial treatments to control S. pneumoniae infections, rates of vaccine escape have been increasing over the past two decades as have resistance rates to frontline antibiotics. During infection, S. pneumoniae is exposed to high concentrations of the antimicrobial metal ion copper as part of the innate immune response. Although copper ions are directed against the pathogen to kill it, S. pneumoniae appears to have evolved elegant defence mechanisms that enable it to survive copper exposure and enhance its ability to cause host tissue damage and disease. This project will determine how S. pneumoniae subverts host antimicrobial copper and evaluate novel antimicrobials that target these resistance mechanisms.
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McDevitt group
3 vacancies
The McDevitt group studies bacterial pathogens, how they cause disease in the host, and develops novel therapeutics. In our group, we use state-of-the-art techniques that include genomics, molecular microbiology (e.g. making mutants, infection models, etc.), transcriptomics, biochemistry (e.g. recombinant proteins), and mass spectrometry. Our projects also involve working with immunologists, biophysicists, and structural biologists to access technologies and techniques that complement our work. We also work with biotech and industry partners to translate our research findings.
McDevitt group Current Projects
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Breaking bacterial antibiotic resistance using ionobiotics
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Defining the virulence mechanisms of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Developing a novel therapeutic approach to treat Streptococcus pneumoniae infections
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.