We study fundamental molecular and cellular processes involved in virulence of bacterial pathogens (Chlamydia and Legionella) that cause important human diseases.

Chlamydia and Legionella are intracellular bacterial pathogens that reside and multiply within eukaryotic host cells in a membranous vacuole. These bacteria share a general virulence mechanism, consisting in the injection of effector proteins into host cells through specialized type III or type IV secretion systems.

Most of our research has been focused in studying how the molecular and cellular mode of action of Chlamydia and Legionella effector proteins contributes to bacterial intracellular growth and virulence. We expect that this basic knowledge might help to develop new strategies to combat infectious diseases.

Contact:

Jaime Mota
Lab 333, Department of Life Sciences
NOVA School of Science and Technology (NOVA FCT)
Campus de Caparica
2829-516 Caparica
Portugal
E-mail: ljmota@fct.unl.pt
Phone: (+351) 21 294 8530 (ext. 11113)

The Infection Biology lab is hosted at the Department of Life Sciences of FCT NOVA and is part of the Molecular Microbiology & Genomics Research Group of the R&D unit UCIBIO.