The Kumaraswami laboratory aims to elucidate the molecular basis of cellular processes that are critical for streptococcal pathophysiology and to use that knowledge to develop novel translational strategies to combat bacterial infections.

Bacterial pathogens survive in complex host environments where they encounter commensal microbial communities and host immune molecules. They engage in interactions with the resident microbiota and host immune effectors during infection. These inter-bacterial and host-pathogen interactions significantly impact the colonization of pathogens and bacterial disease pathogenesis. We are interested in understanding the molecular details and consequences of these interactions in disease pathogenesis. We employ a wide range of tools, including microbiology, biochemistry, structural biology, and animal infection studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis. We are also interested in extending our basic research findings into translational studies to identify novel therapeutic and prophylactic interference strategies to treat or prevent bacterial infections. Two major areas of focus include 1) the role of bacterial intercellular communication in virulence, and 2) the role of bacterial adaptive responses to metal limitation in host-pathogen interactions and bacterial pathogenesis.