Listeria Biofilms

Description of Project:

The gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that causes severe infections in fetuses, newborns, and people with compromised immune systems.  I am generally interested in understanding how bacterial pathogens, in particular L. monocytogenes, survive in the environment.  L. monocytogenes persisting on food preparation surfaces in the form of biofilms appears to be the source of contamination responsible for several recent U.S. listeriosis outbreaks. Of particular relevance to both medicine and the food industry, biofilm bacteria are more resistant to detergents, biocides, and antibiotics than are individual, free-living bacteria.  This makes decontamination of biofilm-coated surfaces particularly difficult.  Very little is known about how L. monocytogenes forms biofilms.  I am currently taking a genetic approach to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes.