Advanced Methods Course: Cellular Microbiology - June 11/12, 2012

Date:

June 11 (17.15 h), June 12 (Full day), 2012

Topic:

Pathogenic bacteria subvert host cell functions in intricate ways. Gram-negative pathogens employ complex secretion systems to deliver dozens if not hundreds of "effector proteins" into eukaryotic host cells, where they manipulate signal transduction and vesicle trafficking pathways. Some of these effectors target small host GTPases, phosphoinositide lipids, ubiquitinylation or apoptosis factors. The lecture will cover recent insights into pathogen-host interactions on a molecular and cellular level, including aspects of innate immunity.

Legionella pneumophila is an amoebae-resistant environmental bacterium, which upon inhalation replicates in alveolar macrophages and causes a severe pneumonia termed “Legionnaires´ disease”. The Gram-negative bacterium employs a type IV secretion system and more than 250 different effector proteins to form a replication-permissive vacuole in phagocytic host cells. Using L. pneumophila and macrophages or amoebae as model systems, we will analyze pathogen-host cell interactions on a cellular level. The hands-on course will illustrate interactions of L. pneumophila with phagocytes and demonstrate features of phagocytes of the innate immune system as well as free-living environmental phagocytes.

Speaker:

Hubert Hilbi, LMU, Max von Pettenkofer Institute

Host:

Sylvia Simon, Dr. Maria Wagner & Prof. Dr. Hubert Hilbi

Location:

LMU
Max von Pettenkofer Institute
Pettenkoferstrasse 9a
80336 Munich

Note: The number of participants is limited for this course. Registration beforehand is required (irtg914@med.uni-muenchen.de).