Urinary tract infections (UTIs) affect all age groups and gender, surpassing 150 million people worldwide. A range of pathogens has been implicated in UTIs, but the disease is predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which accounts for up to 85% of community-acquired UTIs. In many cases, patients have recurring infections in which the formation of biofilm and intracellular bacterial communities (IBC) play a role and are responsible for ineffective antibiotic therapy. In this project, we will first study the metabolic changes relevant for UPEC biofilm development and pathogenesis. By using the gained information, we will then examine how this metabolic adaptation affects UPEC's sensitivity to xenobiotics, such as antibiotics, and how we could utilize this information to find new options to treat patients with recurring UTIs.

2024

2028