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Research in the Department of Veterinary Medicine

Studying at Cambridge

 

Pietro Mastroeni

Pathogenesis and immunobiology of bacterial infections

My current research develops and applies multidisciplinary approaches to unravel the links between in vivo pathogen behaviour (location, division, death, gene regulation and spread), immunity, immunoevasion and the efficacy of vaccines and antibiotics. We are currently extending our research to clinical setting to understand immunological risk factors that increase susceptibility to invasive bacterial infections; this will support the development and evaluation of vaccines for African children.

 

Key Publications

Genes required for the fitness of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium during infection of immunodeficient gp91-/-phox mice". A. Grant, O. Oshota, R. Chaudhuri, M. Mayho, S. Peters, S. Clare, D. Maskell, Pietro Mastroeni. Infect. Immun. 2016; pii: IAI.01423-15.

Design of glycoconjugate vaccines against invasive African S. Typhimurium. S. Rondini, F. Micoli, L. Lanzilao, M. Gavini, Pietro Mastroeni, C. Brandt, A. Saul, C. MacLennan. Infect. Immun. 2015; 83:996-1007.

The effects of vaccination and immunity on bacterial infection dynamics in vivo. C. Coward, O. Restif, R. Dybowski, A. Grant, D. Maskell, Pietro Mastroeni. PLoS Pathog. 2014; 10(9):e1004359

Quantification of the effects of antibodies on the extra- and intracellular dynamics of Salmonella enterica. O. Restif, Y. Goh, M. Palayret, A. Grant, T. McKinley, J. Gog, Pietro Mastroeni. J. R. Soc. Interface. 2013; 10: 20120866

Attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium lacking the pathogenicity island-2 type 3 secretion system grow to high bacterial numbers inside phagocytes in mice. A. Grant, F. Morgan, T. McKinley, G. Foster, D. Maskell, Pietro Mastroeni. PLoS Pathog. 2012; 8: e1003070

 Piero Mastroeni

Dr Pietro Mastroeni

Reader in Infection and Immunity

pm274@cam.ac.uk

Group members: Omar Rossi, Richard Dybowski, Rebecca Walters (jointly with Newcastle University), Jaqueline Albuquerque (Visiting Scholar from June 2016).

    Plain English

    My research uses a large number of innovative techniques and tools that when combined together allow us to study how the behaviour of bacteria within the host tissues can affect the efficacy of vaccines and of treatment with antibiotics. This will eventually allow more accurate and rapid targeting of the bacteria at the sites where they grow and persist in the body, thus reducing collateral damage and minimising the chances of development of antimicrobial resistance. We have also been involved in the recent testing of new generations of vaccines against invasive bacterial diseases, such as septicaemic Salmonella infections, that currently have a very high death toll in children, especially in Africa. Our research is gradually moving into clinical settings to understand which vaccines are best for those areas of the world where the immune system of a vaccinee may be partially impaired by concurrent co-morbidities such as malaria, malnutrition, HIV etc.

    Funding

    BBSRC
    Brazilian Scientific Mobility Program
    Barbour Foundation 

     

    Pietro is currently accepting applications from PhD students.

    Pietro is also available for consultancy. 

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