Research summary
By studying how diseases work, we can find better treatments for them. To that end, Dr. Bas Surewaard, Canada Research Chair in Wild Microbiome and Infections, is using mice to better understand how certain harmful bacteria behave.
He and his research team are exploring how specific immune cells in the liver, called Kupffer cells, respond when they encounter harmful bacteria. The team is focusing on two main tasks: learning how the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus live inside Kupffer cells, and figuring out how Salmonella bacteria avoid being detected and destroyed by these cells. By studying these processes in their natural settings, this research will help us learn more about how these bacteria dodge our body’s defenses. Ultimately, Surwaard’s findings will support the quest for ways to boost our ability to fight off diseases and could lead to better treatments.