In infection, the battle is won or lost at the host-pathogen interface. Immune cells attempt to control microbes by phagocytosing them for containment and killing, as well as triggering inflammatory programs to augment the immune response in the infection niche. Microbial pathogens respond by employing a series of immune evasion strategies, from avoiding recognition, to metabolic and stress adaptation and counter-attacks that result in immune cell death.
The talk will discuss recent advances in our understanding of the host-pathogen battle in infection. The focus will be on the metabolic interactions that shape pathogen and host responses and determine infection outcomes. Understanding the nutritional and metabolic mechanisms that maintain physiological and immune homeostasis could lead to future therapeutic strategies against troublesome human pathogens. These metabolic approaches could complement existing efforts in antimicrobial drug discovery.