Dr. Margherita Bertuzzi

Biography

Margherita Bertuzzi is a molecular microbiologist specializing in fungal infection biology. Her research focuses on antifungal phagocytic activities, respiratory epithelium health, and disease, with a major emphasis on pH-mediated signaling. Her work includes developing a protein-protein interaction toolkit for the major mould pathogen, Aspergillus fumigatus, demonstrating the importance of a non-redundant pH sensor in its pathogenicity. She held postdoctoral positions at Imperial College London and the University of Manchester, where she developed genetically-encoded biosensors for calcium signaling in fungal pathogens. She has established novel approaches in her research group to explore epithelial interactions with inhaled respiratory pathogens, particularly in the context of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and fungal lung diseases. Her efforts have garnered prestigious awards, including an MRC New Investigator Research grant, setting the groundwork for critical discoveries in fungal-epithelial interactions and their implications for health and disease.

Research Interests

Experience