The mutational spectrum of rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Theme: Ecology genetics and evolution

Description: 

Rifampicin is a first-line drug in the treatment of tuberculosis. The usefulness of this drug is increasingly being undermined by the spread of antibiotic resistance mutations. In this project, you will experimentally investigate the spectrum of rifampicin resistance mutations in the model organism Mycobacterium smegmatis, a relative of M. tuberculosis. This project will reveal which mutations can confer resistance in this species and how they affect growth in presence and absence of the drug. These results will inform future studies in this system and may ultimately help in the fight against tuberculosis.

Additional Information: This project will be co-supervised by Prof. Nick West, who leads the tuberculosis research group at UQ.

Contact: Assoc Prof Jan Engelstaedter