Abstract:
The molecular and cellular communication between the host and pathogen is critical to survival of both organisms after Group A Streptcoccus pyogenes (GAS) infection. After attachment and invasion of the pathogen, the human host employs its innate immune system to defend against bacterium. GAS, a facultative anaerobe, responds by altering it gene expression profile expression according to the niche that is invaded. This host-pathogen communication will be discussed with emphasis on the humoral innate immune system of the host and the defence response of the bacterium to avoid its elimination.
Biography:
Francis J. Castellino, Ph.D. FAHA, FAAAS, is the Kleiderer-Pezold Professor of Biochemistry and Director of the W.M. Keck Center for Transgene Research at the University of Notre Dame. He received his Ph.D from the University of Iowa and did postdoctoral work at Duke University. Dr. Castellino joined the University of Notre Dame faculty in 1970, where he remains today. He served as Dean of Science for more than 20 years and has performed research in the field of hemostasis under continuous NIH funding. The interests of the laboratory encompass the spectrum of physical biochemistry to disease models involving the crosstalk of hemostasis and inflammation, where he has published >500 peer reviewed articles. He has served on many internal and external committees, won numerous awards, and trained over 100 graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctorals, and research fellows.
