| Assistant Professor Sze Chun Chau's basic research interest lies in bacterial gene regulation and communication. Specifically, the complexity of gene regulatory circuits and inter-species communication are being investigated using biofilms, i.e. surface-associated and structured bacterial communities, as model systems. The two systems that she is currently working on includes (a) intestinal microbiota and (b) Legionella pneumophila in interaction with its amoebic host. On the second level, she is interested in the application and domestication of biofilms in medical, industrial and environmental contexts. Eradication of biofilms has been the primary force driving applied research in this field, but exploiting (rather than fighting) biofilms has great potential that awaits exploration. |
- A Novel Mixed-species Bioflim Approach to Screen for Promoters With Potential for Use in Pathogen Biosensors
- Degradation of Refractory Organics in an Anaerobic Membrane BioReactor (AnMBR) using Bioaugmentation: the use of Quorum Sensing
- Development of Microbial Cocktails for purpose of use in Botanicaire air-purification devices (Volatile Organic Compound removal): Phase 1
- Genetic regulation and ecological relevance of temperature-dependent filamentation in legionella pneumophila biofilms
- Understanding Microbial Dynamics in Two-Liquid-Phases Bioreactors for Improved Volatile Organic Compound Biofiltration: A Study of the Long-Term Influences Between Pollutant Removal, Non-Aqueous Phase Stability and Microbial Properties
| Selected Publications | - H. Miao, S. Ratnasingam, C.S. Pu, M.M. Desai, and C.C. Sze. (2009). Dual fluorescence system for flow cytometric analysis of Escherichia coli transcriptional response in multi-species context. J Microbiol Methods, 76, 109-19.
- Piao, Z., Sze, C. C., Barysheva O., Iida, K. and S. Yoshida. (2006). Temperature-regulated formation of mycelial mat-like biofilm by Legionella pneumophila. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 72, 1613-22.
- Laurie, A.D., Bernardo, L.M., Sze, C.C., Skarfstad, E., Szalewska-Palasz, A., Nystrom, T. and Shingler, V. (2003). The role of the alarmone (p)ppGpp in sigmaN competition for core RNA polymerase. J Biol Chem, 278, 1494-503.
- Sze, C.C., Bernardo, L.M. and Shingler, V. (2002). Integration of global regulation of two aromatic-responsive sigma54-dependent systems: a common phenotype by different mechanisms. J Bacteriol, 184, 760-70.
- Sze, C.C., Laurie, A.D. and Shingler, V. (2001). In vivo and in vitro effects of integration host factor at the DmpR- regulated sigma54-dependent Po promoter. J Bacteriol, 183, 2842-51.
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