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Full NameProfessor Jose Bengoechea

Wellcome-Wolfson Institute of Experimental Medicine

Queen's University Belfast

Webpage:google.com

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Research Fields

genetics, genomics and molecular biology
infectious disease and the immune system

Postgrad Medical Specialties

Medicine

Medical Subspecialties

Infectious diseases
Immunology
Respiratory Medicine

My Work

Our struggle against infectious diseases is far from over. Globalisation has increased the risk of pandemics, and the rise of antibiotic-resistant microbes threatens to render existing drugs useless. Of particular concern is the mounting prevalence of infections caused by multidrug resistant Gram negative bacteria, in particular Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii.

Shockingly, the increasing isolation of strains resistant to "last resort" antimicrobials has already narrowed, and in some settings completely removed, the treatment options against these infections. Therefore, it is an urgent priority to develop effective therapeutics based on new targets and concepts. However, our understanding of K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii pathogenesis is still elementary thereby making a compelling case to better understand its infection biology to design new strategies to treat Klebsiella and Acinetobacter infections.

By applying a multidisciplinary approach bridging microbiology, immunolpogy and cell biology, and using cutting-edge approaches such as single-cell analysis, functional genomics screens, animal and ex vivo (3D organoids and human lung infection model) models of disease, in my lab we have embarked on harnessing basic knowledge about how Klebsiella and Acinetobacter weaken various aspects of host defences to enhance its own survival. The findings of this programme will be the foundation for new therapeutics based on enhancing innate host resistance to infection, and ameliorating pathophysiological tissue destruction.

1. Kidd TJ, Mills G, Sá-Pessoa J, Dumigan A, Frank CG, Insua JL, Ingram R, Hobley L, Bengoechea JA. A Klebsiella pneumoniae antibiotic resistance mechanism that subdues host defences and promotes virulence. EMBO Molecular Medicine 2017 9(4):430-447
2. Llobet E, Martínez-Moliner V, Moranta D, Dahlström KM, Regueiro V, Tomás A, Cano V, Pérez-Gutiérrez C, Frank CG, Fernández-Carrasco H, Insua JL, Salminen TA, Garmendia J, Bengoechea JA. 2015 Deciphering tissue-induced Klebsiella pneumoniae lipid A structure. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 17;112(46):E6369-78
3. Tomás A, Lery L, Regueiro V, Pérez-Gutiérrez C, Martínez V, Moranta D, Llobet E, González-Nicolau M, Insua JL, Tomas JM, Sansonetti PJ, Tournebize R, Bengoechea JA. 2015 Functional Genomic Screen Identifies Klebsiella pneumoniae Factors Implicated in Blocking Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) Signaling. Journal Biological Chemistry 290(27):16678-97