Jeongmin Song

Research Interests and Our Expertise: - Glycoconjugates in the Host-Microbe Interactions; - Bacterial AB toxins; - Salmonella Host Adaptation, Virulence & Persistence; - Antimicrobial Resistance; - Vaccines & Monoclonal antibodies Overview & Background: The unifying themes of our ongoing research program are seeking to understand the underlying mechanisms that control the pathogenesis and disease associated with Salmonella, as well as developing control strategies for the bacteria or its associated disease. The main focus of the ongoing work is on the Salmonella A2B5 Toxins: Biology, Pathogenesis, and Neutralization, while the research program is continuously evolving based on the current public health demand. We use a multidisciplinary approach integrating bacterial genetics, biochemistry, glycobiology, cell biology, immunology, structural biology, and animal models to decipher the interactions between the host and (drug-resistant) bacterial pathogens. Our research would offer important insights into the development of much-needed innovative controlling strategies against Salmonella infections and its associated diseases, but also into the advancement of our understanding of bacterial AB toxin biology and function. Our ongoing research is supported by National Institutes of Health and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.