[SCAN] Staphylococcus aureus as an intracellular pathogen and the challenges of understanding intracellular cell division dynamics of the Super-Bug

Title: Staphylococcus aureus as an intracellular pathogen and the challenges of understanding intracellular cell division dynamics of the Super-Bug

Speaker: Pedro Matos Pereira.

From: Intracellular Microbial Infection Biology Lab, ITQB NOVA.

Bacterial infections are one of the most critical global
health challenges, predicted to cause over 300 million deaths by 2050. Important factors contributing to this forecast are the different bacterial infection niches, elaborate bacterial escape strategies and
the rise of antibiotic resistance. A perfect example of the challenges
posed by bacterial infection is the human pathogen Staphylococcus
aureus (S. aureus), the leading global cause of death caused by
antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Previously considered extracellular, we now know that S. aureus can infect immune and non-immune cells, where it can survive and divide, while evading detection and antibiotic challenges. This is thought to be a major factor in continuance of carriage, chronicity of infection and dissemination within the host. However, we know very little about how S. aureus replicates in this new and important infection niche. Surprisingly, as the timing and regulation of bacterial cell division influences the host cells’ ability to detect and clear intracellular bacteria. Understanding the dynamics of S. aureus cell division within host cells is essential to develop new strategies to target this (and other) bacterial pathogens. This talk will cover how we are exploring S. aureus cell division inside
mammalian cells and how this is important to understand the complex host-bacterial interplay, the challenges we encountered and how we propose to solve them.

This talk will also be an opportunity to introduce and discuss the third edition of the MPS_NOVA mentoring program, what’s new, how it works and how it can you can be a part of it, as a mentor or a mentee. Mentoring plays a pivotal role in shaping scientific careers, fostering collaboration, and strengthening research communities, so come for the intracellular S. aureus cell division and stay for the mentoring… it’s all about finding the right niche to grow.

SCANs are weekly seminars that happen every Wednesday at noon by in-house researchers and invited speakers at ITQB NOVA.