Dick Strugnell is a microbiologist who works at the microbiology/immunology interface, and in basic bacterial molecular biology of key microbiological phenomena including bacterial physiology, biofilm development and adaptation to intracellular growth. The research involves two key human pathogens, Salmonella enterica and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria include organisms responsible for severe human diseases in developed and less-developed healthcare settings. The research leads to new interventions which include antimicrobials targeting key physiological processes e.g. growth, inhibitors of bacterial adhesion and novel strategies to exploit our growing understanding of the microbe/immune system interface such as immunomodulatory drugs and biologicals and new or improved vaccines to prevent disease.
