The Wall Lab
Our Research Interests
The Wall Lab focuses on host-pathogen interactions in the intestine and the influence of the gut microbiome on host physiology.
The intestinal pathogens Salmonella Typhimurium and adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) are our primary focus and, in particular, how they undermine host responses to enable and prolong infection. This work involves collaboration with colleagues in the School of Infection and Immunity and clinical colleagues across the NHS in Glasgow and international collaborators.
Host physiology is affected by multiple factors and our second interest is how the gut microbiota influences us through release of small molecules in the gut. Using spatial biology approaches (mass spectrometry imaging, spatial transcriptomics and imaging mass cytometry), we spatial localize and interrogate the function of these molecules when they spread systemically in the host.
We also study the producing microbes and competition within the gut microbiome as a means to understand the emergence of dominant species in certain disease states. This work is carried out with national and international collaborators and alongside our long term partners AstraZeneca.
