Understanding How Harmful Bacteria Cause Disease

For non-scientists

Part of our logo, multicolored bacteria

The Salcedo Lab at the University of Wisconsin–Madison studies how certain bacteria outsmart the body’s natural defenses and cause disease in people and animals. The lab’s goal is to understand these tricks at the molecular level so that scientists can develop better ways to prevent and treat infections.

Why this research matters

Bacterial infections remain a major challenge for human and animal health. Some bacteria can hide inside our cells, evade the immune system, and become difficult to eliminate. Others have developed resistance to multiple antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. The Salcedo Lab is deciphering how these bacteria survive and spread to help develop new therapies and prevention strategies.

What bacteria are studied?

Brucella

  • Brucella causes brucellosis, a disease that can spread between animals and humans.
  • It affects livestock, wildlife, and people in many parts of the world, with an estimated 4 million people affected!
  • The bacteria have a weapon (called a secretion system) that injects proteins into the cell and helps the bacteria hide inside cells and manipulate normal cellular functions.
  • The lab studies how these injected bacterial molecules make this possible and how they alter immune responses.

Acinetobacter baumannii

  • This bacterium is an emerging global health threat and is often resistant to multiple antibiotics.
  • It can cause serious infections, particularly in hospitalized patients.
  • The lab investigates how some strains invade and survive within cells and how interactions among humans, animals, and the environment contribute to their spread.

How the lab works

The researchers combine microbiology, immunology, cell biology, and genetics to understand the ongoing “battle” between bacteria and their hosts. They examine both the bacterial factors that promote infection and the host responses that attempt to stop it. By identifying the critical molecules involved, they hope to reveal new targets for future treatments and vaccines.

The big picture

At its core, the Salcedo Lab is trying to answer an important question:

How do dangerous bacteria manipulate our cells to survive and cause disease, and how can we stop them? Understanding these mechanisms could lead to better ways to protect both human and animal health from infectious diseases and antibiotic-resistant pathogens.