Researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) will explore how Campylobacter jejuni establishes infection by disrupting the gut microbiome, thanks to a £240,000 grant from the Royal Society’s ISPF International Collaborator Awards (UK-Japan). 

The findings could pave the way for novel antimicrobial treatments based on bacterial toxin mechanisms.

The project is led by Associate Professor Dr Ozan Gundogdu at LSHTM, in collaboration with Dr Daniel Ken Inaoka from Nagasaki University, Japan, and postdoctoral research fellow Dr Molly Webster.

Infectious diarrhoea remains a major global health concern, with Campylobacter jejuni the leading bacterial cause. In low-resource settings, infections are particularly prevalent among young children, contributing to significant mortality, stunted growth, and lifelong physical and cognitive impairments. 

The rising threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) further highlights the urgent need for new interventions to curb Campylobacter infections, especially within the food chain.

Dr Gundogdu’s Enterics Research Team at LSHTM recently identified complete Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) gene operons in several C. jejuni strains linked to human disease. T6SS is a bacterial weapon that enhances survival by outcompeting microbial rivals and evading host immune defences. 

This new project will investigate whether C. jejuni’s T6SS and its effectors provide a competitive edge in the gut microbiome, facilitating adaptation and ultimately leading to human infection.

He said: “The outcome of this research will not only provide insight into how Campylobacter disrupts the gut microbiome to establish infection, but  will help develop new, effective antimicrobials by improving our understanding of how bacteria spread and cause infections.”

“This collaboration between LSHTM and Nagasaki University underscores the importance of global partnerships in addressing pressing infectious disease challenges and pioneering new solutions for public health.”