Microbiology-Immunology Department: Hank Seifert, PhD

"Location, Location, Location: Evolution and Pathogenesis of the Human-Restricted Neisseria"

Speaker - Hank Seifert, PhD, Northwestern University

Host - Nicholas Cianciotto, Northwestern University, Driskill Graduate Program

TOPIC

There are several Neisseria species that live only within humans but only, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis have acquired the ability to cause disease. There are several distinguishing characteristics of the pathogenic Neisseria including several different diversity generation systems and the ability to induce neutrophil inflammation while resisting killing by neutrophils. I will discuss my laboratory’s work on the mechanisms allowing N. gonorrhoeae to promote pilus antigenic variation, evade neutrophil killing, and how the pathogenic species may have evolved from a commensal progenitor.

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