Bacterial-Host Interactions – BHI

Topics

• Molecular mechanisms driving bacterial colonization and tissue invasion, intra- and extracellular survival, replication, dissemination, intercellular spread, long term host persistence.
• Identification of bacterial modulators and effector molecules that subvert or bypass host innate and adaptive immune defenses.
• Interplay between bacterial components and host cellular systems, that alter normal host physiology, signaling pathways, and metabolism for bacterial survival and adaptation.
• Development and utilization of novel animal infection models, symbiosis models, alternate surrogate hosts to study genetic, biochemical, or cellular factors governing host susceptibility and resistance.
• Use of non-mammalian animal models, organoids, microfluidic systems, and other advanced technologies to investigate host colonization and defense strategies.

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Bacterial Innate Immunomodulation and Pathogenesis (BIIP) IIDC (81). Applications with greater focus on how bacteria modulate host innate immune mechanisms and how innate immunity itself drives disease pathogenesis may be reviewed by IIDC (81). Studies that focus on how bacterial factors alter/affect host cells to establish infection processes and survival including host defense strategies may be more appropriate for BHI.

There are shared interests with Bacterial Virulence (BV). Applications that focus directly on the bacterial side of the host-pathogen relationship, specifically looking at the determinants of bacterial virulence and pathogenicity from the perspective of the bacteria may be reviewed in BV, whereas applications that focus on bacterial factors that affect host side of the host-pathogen interaction  may be reviewed by BHI. Applications that use animal models of infection to assess levels of virulence may be appropriate for BV, whereas applications that use such models to investigate mechanisms of pathogenesis, host susceptibility and resistance may be more appropriate for BHI. 

There are shared interests with Immunity and Host Defense (IHD) in the investigations of the immunologic process of bacterial infections. Applications focused on the host innate and adaptive immune mechanisms associated with the host response to bacterial infections and those utilizing bacteria as tools to stimulate an immune response may be reviewed in IHD. Applications that focus on the bacterial pathogenesis process, including elements driving host cellular injury and direct evasion of host defenses may be reviewed in BHI. 

There are shared interests in bacterial infections of the central nervous system(CNS) with Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT). Applications that emphasize molecular mechanistic models of bacterial infection, pathogenesis or immunity emphasizing fundamental mechanisms of the host-bacterial interactions are reviewed in BHI.  Studies that focus on CNS infectious diseases and emphasize how bacterial-host immune or inflammatory interactions specifically relate to neurological disorders, blood-brain failure or downstream nervous system damage are reviewed in CNBT.

There are shared interests with Interspecies Microbial Interactions and Infections (IMII) for studies that investigate the interactions of bacteria with other bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Applications emphasizing the interspecies interactions with other microbes or within microbial communities or polymicrobial research involving both bacteria and other microbes may be reviewed by IMII. Applications focused on single-species bacterial encounters with host cells  may be reviewed in BHI.

There are shared interests in bacteria-host interactions with Transmission of Vector-borne and Zoonotic diseases (TVZ). Applications that emphasize the transmission dynamics of zoonotic or vector-borne life cycles of bacteria may be reviewed in TVZ whereas studies  focused on the general mechanisms by which the bacteria cause disease persistence may be reviewed by BHI.

There are shared interests with Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammatory Diseases (DHMI), and Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBBP). Applications addressing bacterial-host immune or inflammatory interactions relevant to the diseases or disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (DHMI), and hepatobiliary system (HBPP) due to bacterial infection may be reviewed in the respective study section noted.  Studies focused on molecular mechanistic models of bacterial infection or pathogenesis and immunity emphasizing the bacterial perspective may be reviewed in BV, IIDC (81) or BHI.

There are shared interests in pathogen physiology with Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology A (DMPA) and Anti-Infective Resistance and Targets (AIRT). Applications that emphasize developing new antimicrobial drugs or high-throughput screens for novel therapeutic agents may be reviewed in DMPA. Studies that focus on identifying novel drug targets or drug resistance mechanisms or the evolution of drug resistance may be reviewed in AIRT. Applications that emphasize understanding fundamental processes or pathogenesis mechanisms, or applications that utilize known drugs as physiological probes may be reviewed in BHI.

There are shared interests with Etiology, Diagnostic, Intervention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (EDIT) and Population-based Research in Infectious Disease (PRID) in the general area of bacterial pathogens. Applications that focus on translational and applied studies  examining human-bacterial interactions, epidemiology, therapeutics, prophylactics, or diagnostics of bacterial infections may be reviewed in EDIT. Applications that focus on population-based research that characterize the incidence, transmission, and prevention of infectious diseases regardless of pathogen may be reviewed in PRID. Applications that focus on mechanistic in vitro studies and animal models of bacterial diseases may be reviewed in one of the bacterial-focused study sections, PCMB, BV, IIDC (81) or BHI.

There are shared interests in reviewing studies of effects of molecular probes or prospective therapeutic modifiers of prokaryotic or eukaryotic pathogens with Chemical Biology & Probes (CBP). Applications that emphasize development of novel synthetic or medicinal chemistry approaches are reviewed in CBP. Applications that use known, commercially available or modestly modified chemical compounds or drugs as tools to probe or alter host-bacterial interactions  may be reviewed in BHI.

There are shared interests with Adaptive Immunity (AI), Innate Immunity B (IIB), Innate Immunity A (IIDA (81). Applications associated with bacterial factors altering host physiology  may be reviewed in BHI, whereas applications with a greater focus on all aspects of the host adaptive immune system, B and T cell response and its interplay may be reviewed in AI Studies focused on innate immune signaling or inflammatory responses may be reviewed in IIB and studies focused on the fundamental cell biology and immunobiology of innate cells, their basic regulation and mechanics of antigen presentation may be reviewed in IIDA (81). 

There are shared interests with Lung Immunology and Infection (LII) in host responses to pulmonary bacterial pathogens. Applications with a strong focus on integrated pulmonary tissue responses and pathological consequences in the lung to any microbial pathogen or microbial community are reviewed in LII. Studies focused on basic molecular, biochemical or cellular crosstalk specifically highlighting the bacterial factors that alter host cells regardless of host niche may be reviewed in BHI.