THE SHAFFER LAB

Our research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying assembly and function of elaborate bacterial secretion systems. We use advanced microscopy, chemical biology, genetic, and biochemical approaches to understand how bacteria engineer and build complex nanomachines that transport diverse microbial cargo to target cells... We have a limited understanding of how the dynamic T4SS nanomachine assembles in response to target cell docking. Our lab uses biochemical approaches, advanced super-resolution microscopy, and genetics to understand how components of the T4SS interact to facilitate movement of molecular cargo from the bacterium to the host cell. We aim to understand molecular mechanisms underpinning effector delivery and to determine the role of novel extracellular features associated with these diverse surface organelles. Defining how these systems assemble and function will allow us to harness versatile T4SS machinery for the targeted delivery of biological..