Life Sciences Seminar: Shigella in the 21st Century: New Perspectives for a Persistent Pathogen

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Life Sciences Seminar
Shigella in the 21st Century: New Perspectives for a Persistent Pathogen

Dr. Christina Faherty
Assistant Professor, Microbiology and Immunology
Uniformed Services University

Abstract
:

Shigella is a bacterial pathogen that causes millions of cases of infectious diarrhea and hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, particularly in children, the malnourished, and elderly. Despite decades of research, a successfil vaccine has not been developed and antibiotic resistance is rising at alarming rates. Shigella primarily infects humans, thus creating a significant hurdle to therapeutic development. Our lab employs human-specific conditions and organoid-based infection models to study how Shigella survives gastrointestinal transit, regulates virulence gene expression, and infects the colonic epithelium. This approach is creating new insights into Shigella pathogenesis that will improve therapeutic development against this formidable pathogen.

Intended Audience:
Beginners, undergraduates, graduates. Those with interest in the topic.

To request an interpreter, please visit myaccess.rit.edu


Contact
Elizabeth DiCesare
Event Snapshot
When and Where
March 02, 2026
1:00 pm - 1:50 pm
Room/Location: A300
Who

This is an RIT Only Event

Interpreter Requested?

No

Topics
diversity
faculty
research