Research in the Department of Molecular Microbiology is focused on understanding the molecular basis of bacterial physiology, with the goal of contributing to the cure and prevention of infectious diseases. 

Bacterial infections constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and pose a significant threat to human health as the spread of antibiotic resistance increases. The regulation of gene expression has a pivotal role in development of bacterial infections as proper changes in gene expression programs are indispensable in triggering virulence properties, antibiotic resistance or stress response. We take a multidisciplinary approach involving bacterial genetics, biochemistry, in vitro infection and transcriptomics to get the knowledge about RNA and protein-based gene regulatory systems in Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria as well as antibiotic resistance in food-borne pathogens. Our especial interest is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial infections and antibiotic resistance that would pave the way for development of new antibacterial agents and improvement of molecular diagnostics of bacterial infections.