Diseases caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, the most prevalent of human mould pathogens, afflict humans having diverse immunological defects and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. From an ecological view point this organism is important for recycling of organic matter and its ubiquitouspresence in the natural environment ensures, via inhalation of airborne spores, a frequent interaction with the human pulmonary system. This host-pathogen interaction often results in damage to the host, the nature of which can be highly variable and is strictly dependent upon host immune status. In the post-genomic era our understanding of the A. fumigatus host-pathogen interaction has expanded dramatically and promises to empower the quest for novel therapeutic interventions and diagnostics. This research topic addresses both host- and pathogen-associated drivers of disease, including: The composition and regulatory control of fungal cell membrane and cell wall; host-adaptation; biosynthesis and secretion of proteases and small molecules implicated in virulence; role of innate immune cells in the host response; host-derived biomarkers of infection and the relevance of microbial interactions to disease progression.
Diseases caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, the most prevalent of human mould pathogens, afflict humans having diverse immunological defects and are associated with high morbidity and mortality. From an ecological view point this organism is important for recycling of organic matter and its ubiquitouspresence in the natural environment ensures, via inhalation of airborne spores, a frequent interaction with the human pulmonary system. This host-pathogen interaction often results in damage to the host, the nature of which can be highly variable and is strictly dependent upon host immune status. In the post-genomic era our understanding of the A. fumigatus host-pathogen interaction has expanded dramatically and promises to empower the quest for novel therapeutic interventions and diagnostics. This research topic addresses both host- and pathogen-associated drivers of disease, including: The composition and regulatory control of fungal cell membrane and cell wall; host-adaptation; biosynthesis and secretion of proteases and small molecules implicated in virulence; role of innate immune cells in the host response; host-derived biomarkers of infection and the relevance of microbial interactions to disease progression.