Biosciences Research Seminar - Tackling the molecular basis of pathogenesis-related phenotypes in Candida species - aiming improved therapeutic approaches

Candida species are among the most impactful fungal pathogens, associated with very high mortality rates. Candida albicans is the main etiological agent of invasive candidiasis, however, the prevalence of non-albicans Candida species is emerging due to their unique pathogenesis features, particularly multidrug-resistance. Understanding the molecular basis of pathogenesis-related phenotypes is crucial for the design of more promising antifungal strategies.
In this seminar, an overview of our current efforts in this field will be provided, covering the following approaches: 1) Functional analysis of the drug:H+ Antiporter family in the context of drug resistance (and more); 2) Screening for novel TFs controlling antifungal resistance, virulence and biofilm formation, leading to regulon definition; 3) Following the genomic and transcriptomic evolution of pathogenesis-related phenotypes; and 4) Developing bioinformatics platforms for drug target identification and drug design.
Overall, our results highlight the multifactorial nature of pathogenesis-related phenotypes, while illustrating the power of genome-wide approaches to identify alternative players that are likely to underly pathogenesis in the clinical setting. The identification and characterization of such players, together with in silico tools for drug target prediction and drug design, is a promising approach for the development of alternatives to current antifungal therapies.