Research Projects

M. tuberculosis, a mycobacterium, grows slowly and can persist in macrophages or mice, despite facing harsh conditions. The phagosomal environment, including highly acidic ones, is crucial for the bacilli's survival and persistence. However, M. tuberculosis adapts to varying environmental cues within the macrophage phagosome, which is primarily controlled at the gene transcription level. This adaptation is a major reason for the exceptional success of M. tuberculosis as an intracellular pathogen. Understanding the mechanisms that make M. tuberculosis a successful and difficult-to-treat pathogen is crucial. This study aims to probe the origins of specific interactions in proteins complexes and investigate physiological determinants of complex formation to identify the consequences on mycobacterial physiology, in vivo survival, and virulence regulation. The study will use high throughput assays and traditional biochemical/microbiology techniques to investigate the physiological determinants of complex formation and their impact on mycobacterial physiology, in vivo survival, and virulence regulation.