Fungal determinants modulating the balance between homeostasis vs. disease

C. albicans displays a remarkable intraspecies diversity. Genetically distinct isolates differ in their interaction with the host. This project seeks to identify genetic determinants that differentiate virulent from avirulent commensal isolates. By combining phenotyping, transcriptomic and genomic profiling, and genetic approaches, we aim at unravelling novel virulence attributes of C. albicans.

This project also investigates how pathogenicity of C. albicans is modulated by the host immune status. It interrogates whether commensal isolates are fixed in an avirulent state, or whether, in an immunodeficient host environment, they are able to adopt virulence traits.

While fungal factors mediating C. albicans infection have been studied extensively, it remains less clear how the fungus establishes and maintains colonization during steady-state.  This project investigates the role of candidalysin, a peptide toxin secreted during hyphal growth, in shaping host–fungus interactions during oral colonization. We have recently shown that candidalysin is not only a driver of epithelial damage and immune activation, but also plays a nuanced role in promoting fungal persistence within host niches. By dissecting how  candidalysin modulates both host responses and fungal fitness, our research provides new insight into the balance between colonization and pathogenicity, with implications for understanding mucosal infection and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

See a recent press release for more details.