Understanding the physiological and metabolic processes of bacterial pathogens
My research is focused on understanding the physiological and metabolic processes governing fitness, virulence, and versatility of Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. Specifically, I am interested in: i) regulation of staphylococcal carbohydrate metabolism in response to various environmental cues and its contribution to fitness, virulence determinant production, and pathogenesis during infections; ii) metabolic and physiological basis of staphylococcal biofilm formation and its role in pathogenesis of biomaterial-related and nosocomial infections. My research interests also encompass contribution of the overflow and central carbohydrate metabolic pathways to fitness and sporulation of Bacillus anthracis.