What we do?
Bacteriophage Theme
Bacteriophages—nature’s most abundant and specialized viruses—are found in nearly every corner of the Earth. We are driven by a passion to uncover how these microscopic warriors precisely target bacterial hosts, outmaneuver their evolving defenses, and interact with the cells of more complex organisms. By harnessing cutting- edge omics technologies, we aim to unlock the hidden potential of phages to revolutionize medicine, combat antibiotic resistance, and safeguard our food systems.
Our research programs centers on elucidating the complex interactions among bacteriophages, bacterial hosts, and eukaryotic cells across diverse ecological niches. Our work bridges curiosity and innovation, turning fundamental discoveries into real- world solutions.
Developing phage-based biotechnologies
Optimizing phage therapy for bacterial infections in both veterinary and human medicine
Addressing the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
Enhancing food safety across the production chain
Tackling zoonotic diseases at the interface of human and animal health
Zoonotic pathogen Theme
The research activities are centered on defining mechanisms that promote persistence and transmission of zoonotic pathogens in the entire food production system using cutting-edge technologies (e.g. single cell RNA-seq and live-cell imaging microscopy).
Our current focuses are:
Towards an understanding of the molecular and cellular basis for biofilm formation of zoonotic pathogens in gastrointestinal and respiratory tract of animal and food processing environment.
Study physiological growth parameters, population dynamics and alternations of virulence traits of microbial pathogens under real food production environments; 3) Investigate footprint and persistence of antimicrobial resistance genes in livestock production system using metagenomics approaches.
Develop robust, rapid, sensitive and innovative technologies for real-time detection of foodborne pathogens and diagnosis of infectious disease. Currently, we are dedicated to advancing isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods integrated with CRISPR and/or electrochemical platforms for the diagnosis of infectious diseases in both humans and animals, as well as for the detection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).