Abstract

This Cambridge Immunology Network Seminar will take place on Thursday 26th March 2026, starting at 4:00pm, in the Ground Floor Lecture Theatre, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre (JCBC)

Speaker: Professor Susanne Häußler, Head of Department of Molecular Bacteriology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research

Title: Functional Genomics in the Opportunistic Pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract: The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent cause of healthcare-associated infections and is well known for its remarkable ability to adapt to diverse environments. Our research explores how genomic variation contributes to this adaptability using a range of functional genomics approaches. By applying large-scale whole-genome sequencing to clinical isolates, we investigate the population structure and transmission dynamics of P. aeruginosa in hospital settings and explore how bacterial lineages spread and evolve in clinical environments. We further study genotype–phenotype relationships related to antibiotic resistance and host adaptation, as well as regulatory mechanisms shaping bacterial physiology, including transcriptional signatures of clinical isolates and post-transcriptional regulation involving transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Together, these approaches aim to shed light on the molecular mechanisms that enable this versatile pathogen to persist and evolve in clinical settings.

Host: Aaron Weimann, VPD Heart and Lung Research Institute, Cambridge (on behalf of Professor Andres Floto)

Refreshments will be available following the seminar.