I investigate host–Chlamydia interactions by studying protein–protein interactions to better understand the molecular mechanisms of infection and persistence.
Invasive Chlamydia are engulfed within pathogen-containing vacuoles (PCVs), known as inclusions, upon entry into the host cell. I aim to uncover the compositional features of these inclusions that determine their stability, as well as the mechanisms linking inclusion instability to the induction of host cellular defenses. To achieve this, I apply proximity labeling–based approaches for global mapping of protein–protein interactions at the PCVs of wild-type (WT) and CpoS-deficient Chlamydia, in order to decipher the molecular basis of inclusion stability and host immune responses.
I completed my Ph.D. at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where my research centered on host–pathogen interactions, specifically the role of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and cytosolic proteins in response to Porphyromonas gingivalis. This work deepened my interest in innate immunity and pathogen-induced signaling pathways, which continues to shape my current research as Postdoc in Barbara Sixt lab at Umeå University.