Anthony Maresso Lab

Our research team seeks to understand the molecular basis by which some of Earth’s most deadly and infectious bacteria cause human disease. As the third leading cause of all world-wide mortalities, infectious microorganisms represent a significant obstacle to the present and future health of our species. Be it the intentional use of virulent microbes as a weapon of terror, the emergence of new strains resistant to available drugs, or the life-long association of certain microbes with chronic diseases, pathogenic bacteria spanning the entire disease-causing spectrum pose unmet challenges in medicine, culture, and society in general.

Using an “Atoms to Animals” approach combining all major investigative fields including genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry, our team aims to use mechanistic knowledge of bacterial virulence factor function to generate next-generation antimicrobials, vaccines, and prophylactics to combat bacterially-caused diseases in humans.