The Allen Lab at Loyola University Chicago Health Science Campus

Welcome to our lab! We study the biology of bacterial pathogens. To combat these increasingly antibiotic-resistant threats, we investigate the fundamental mechanistic biology of these pathogens, aiming to unlock insights that could inform the development of novel therapeutics.

(1) Bacterial Pathogenesis & Vulnerabilities. We integrate functional genomics with diverse infection models to map how pathogens colonize host tissues and evade immunity. By dissecting the essential mechanisms of infection, we aim to pinpoint critical pathogen vulnerabilities, their “Achilles’ heels”, that can be targeted therapeutically.

(2) Interbacterial Warfare & Antimicrobial Discovery. Bacteria have evolved sophisticated molecular systems to kill competing microbes. We investigate the mechanisms and targets of the potent toxins used in interbacterial competition, leveraging nature’s own toolkit to discover novel antimicrobial compounds with translational therapeutic potential.

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