Manipulation of host hypoxia signalling as a therapeutic strategy for mycobacterial infection

Phil's research aims to understand the host innate immune response to mycobacterial infection (the causative bacteria of tuberculosis), in order to identify novel therapeutic strategies that may be effective against emerging drug-resistant strains. Specifically, he has focused on host-derived hypoxia signalling and has demonstrated that manipulation of this signalling system can help the host tackle infection. His lab uses a zebrafish model of mycobacterial infection to gain in vivo insights into the underlying mechanisms of hypoxia signalling regulation during infection. Phil's goal is to determine whether targeting hypoxia signalling could be used as an effective future TB therapy.