Research

Food poisoning caused by various foodborne pathogens threatens our health, and thus represents a huge socio-economic burden. Although antibiotics targeting essential bacterial functions have successfully controlled these "bad guys", the recent emergence of drug-resistant pathogens, also known as superbugs, is forcing humans to prepare alternative antimicrobial agents. 

In this context, our laboratory is investigating the possibility of bacteriophages and endolysins as novel antimicrobial agents. Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are bacterial viruses that only infect bacteria. After specific recognition of host receptors, phages inject their nucleic acids into bacterial host cells. Propagation of phage particles within bacterial cells is terminated by a "burst" of phage-infected bacteria by phage-derived lytic enzymes, endolysins. Using various food-related pathogens such as Salmonella spp., pathogenic Escherichia coli, Cronobacter sakazakii, Stapylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Acinetobacter baumannii as model bacteria, we are attempting to isolate, characterize, and genetically engineer the novel bacteriophages. The mechanisms of how these phages interact with host bacteria are also being studied at the molecular level to efficiently control and detect the harmful foodborne pathogens from our daily food and food processing environment.

Understanding the basic mechanisms underlying bacterial virulence and pathogenicity through in vitro and in vivo experiments is another our goal for pathogen control. Based on the better understanding of the mechanisms, we expect to find new targets for novel antimicrobial agents and thus be able to control the virulence of harmful foodborne pathogens in an unusual but efficient way.