INVITED SPEAKER

Professor Michael Federle

I have spent over 25 years studying, researching, and mentoring in the field of molecular microbiology and bacterial pathogenesis. In 2008, I established an independent research laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago, focusing on chemical signaling in Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. My laboratory has helped to identify a widespread protein family characterized as cytoplasmic pheromone receptors. It is our mission to identify signaling pathways in Gram-positive pathogens (including Streptococcus pyogenes, S. pneumoniae, S. agalactiae, and S. mutans), characterize their benefits in bacterial survival or pathogenesis, and elucidate mechanisms of signaling interference as potential anti-virulence strategies. My training began at the University of Wisconsin, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in genetics. I spent three years working as a laboratory specialist in the labs of Dr. Frederick Blattner (Wisconsin, 2004-2005) and Dr. June R. Scott (Emory, 2005-2007). I completed my PhD in 2002 in the Microbiology and Molecular Genetics graduate program at Emory University under the mentorship of Dr. June Scott; my thesis was based on the characterization of the CovRS twocomponent signal transduction system in the human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. My postdoctoral training at Princeton University was under the mentorship of Dr. Bonnie Bassler. I helped to elucidate the molecular mechanism of autoinducer-2 sensory transduction through the LuxPQ receptor of Vibrio harveyi. Now, as a professor in the departments of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, and Microbiology and Immunology, I am the principle investigator of several research grants and lead a lab comprised of six graduate students and two postdoctoral scientists. I enjoy teaching to both graduate and professional students at UIC.