Research project Bacterial infection and cancer

Microbial pathogens have developed a variety of strategies to manipulate host cell function. When the immune system fails to battle an infection or if the infection remains untreated, the disease may develop into a chronic long-term infection that can cause cell damage and cancer. Helicobacter pylori is bacterium that colonizes the human gastric mucosa. H. pylori infection is usually asymptomatic and the bacteria can persist in the gastric environment for decades and even throughout the life span of the host. In some individuals, the infection develops into symptomatic inflammation that gives rise to chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Both bacterial and host factors are thought to contribute to these disease outcomes. We are currently examining the detailed mechanisms of how H. pylori interferes with host cells and how these processes contribute to development of disease, cell damage and malignancies. The aim is to identify novel ways to prevent immune evasion, cell damage and cancer caused by bacteria.