Lecture by prof. Robert Zarnowski, University of Wisconsin-Madison
As part of the Visiting Professors Programme (IDUB), prof. Robert Zarnowski, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, will give an open lecture entitled “Determinanty patogenności w biologii biofilmów grzybów rodzaju Candida” (eng. Pathogenicity determinants in the biology of biofilms of fungi of the genus Candida).
The lecture will take place on 25 March from: 13.00-14.30 in Hall 1.05 of the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Wrocław (ul. F. Joliot-Curie 14a).
It is organised by dr Anna Jaromin, Department of Lipids and Liposomes, Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Wrocław.
Lecture topics:
Pathogenic fungi, mainly those representing the genus Candida, are responsible for approximately 2.5 million deaths per year. Candida albicans is the species most commonly causing human infections worldwide, while Candida auris, a newly emerging pathogen, causes multidrug-resistant infections associated with the healthcare system. Mortality associated with Candida infections often exceeds 40% and the number of antifungal drugs available is severely limited. One of the main determinants of virulence of fungi in this genus is the ability to form biofilms, which have an extremely high resistance to antifungal therapies.
The pathogenicity of fungal biofilms is determined, among other things, by the ability to produce extracellular matrix (ECM), which protects the fungal cells from antifungal drugs and host defence mechanisms. The ECM is composed of four main classes of biomolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. Its formation is mediated by secreted extracellular vesicles (EVs), whose cargo is transported out of cells and precisely deposited in the extracellular environment of biofilms.
As a result, Candida biofilms pose a serious threat to the health and lives of patients and are a huge challenge in clinical practice. Understanding the role of EVs in the biology of Candida biofilms opens up new opportunities for the development of pharmacological strategies aimed at eliminating the risks associated with these often fatal infections.
This lecture summarises recent, often unpublished findings on EV-related pathogenicity determinants in Candida biofilms.
Date of publication: 11.03.2025
Added by: M.J.
