Sauer Lab  

Research Focus

The focus of our lab revolves around understanding host pathogen interactions.  Specifically we are interested in four separate but related questions:

1. How do intracellular pathogens parasitize their host cells?

2. How can we take advantage of pathogen virulence strategies to develop novel antimicrobials?

3. How does the host recognize and respond to infection by intracellular pathogens? 

4. How does recognition of intracellular pathogens by the innate immune system drive adaptive immune responses?

Recent Publications

Regalado, R., Santos Craveiro Silva, M., Price, E., Liang, NW., Grunenwald, C.M., Sauer, JD, Beebe, D.J., and Keller, N.P. Diverse Bacterial Properties Affect Dispersal on the Fungal Superhighway. J. Fungi 2026, 12(6), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12060425 PMCID:PMC13300857

Freeman, M.J., Eral, N.J., Debrine, A.M., Stevenson D.S. Amador-Noguez, D. and Sauer, JD Understanding the Role of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase in Listeria monocytogenes Virulence. Infection and Immunity 2026 May 29:e0050525. PMCID:PMC13367045

Rose, W.E. and Sauer, JD Unlocking the Secret to Staphylococcus aureus Survival in Serum 2026 mSystems May 19;11(5):e0181325. PMCID: PMC13185541

Freeman, M.J., Eral, N.J., and Sauer, JD Listeria monocytogenes Requires Phosphotransferase Systems to Facilitate Intracellular Growth and Virulence. PloS Pathogens 2025 Apr 15;21(4):e1012492. PMCID:PMC12052390 

Recent News

Welcome to new undergraduates Brooklyn Elskamp and Sonya Povilus to the lab!

Congratulations to Dr. Alyssa Brokaw on the funding of her NIH F32 application!

Congratulations to Dr. Kevin Parducho on his new teaching position in Denver, we will miss you!

Congratulations to Dr. JD Sauer on being elected chair for the 2030 Gordon Research Conference on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity!

Congratulations to Abby DeBrine on her oral presentation at the Gordon Research Seminar on Microbial Toxins and Pathogenicity!

Congratulations to Dr. Alyssa Brokaw on her oral presentation at the International Conference on Gram Positive Pathogens!

Congratulations to Matt Freeman, Noah Eral and Abby DeBrine on the publication of their paper in Infection and Immunity

Congratulations to Dr. JD Sauer for being elected to the American Academy of Microbiology!