Core expertise
- Bacteria
- Bacterial Evolution
- Membrane Biochemistry
- Mitochondrial biology
- Protein transport
Biography
A major global issue is the rise of antibiotic-resistance in bacterial pathogens or “super-bugs”. In response, new drug targets need to be identified and new vaccines need to be developed. Fundamental aspects of bacterial cell biology need to be understood if we are to take creative approaches to defeating these "new" bacterial pathogens. My lab works on protein targeting; how proteins are transported to their correct sub-cellular location. My interests are particularly focused at how proteins are assembled into the outer membranes of bacteria: the molecular machinery in these processes is an excellent target for new drugs and the surface-exposed nature of the machinery means that it could serve as a basis in new vaccine strategies.
Work in the Lithgow lab is aimed at a detailed understanding of molecular machines, and falls into two broad themes: (i) the evolution of new protein transport machines, and (ii) the mechanism by which molecular machines are assembled.
