Nicholas
Cianciotto, PhD
Professor of Microbiology-Immunology
To Contact Dr. Cianciotto:
phone: 312-503-0385
e-mail: n-cianciotto@northwestern.edu
Dr.
Cianciotto’s website
PubMed
Reference Lookup
Research Interests
Legionella pneumophila is the bacterial etiologic agent of Legionnaires' disease,
a common and potentially fatal form of pneumonia in humans. Legionella infections
occur within both community and hospital settings, and they may exist as sporadic
cases or as outbreaks. L. pneumophila is a natural inhabitant of fresh water
that can also flourish within man-made water systems. Infection follows the
inhalation of contaminated water droplets generated by devices such as air-conditioners
and misters. Within both the natural environment and the mammalian lung, the
Legionella organism multiplies as an intracellular parasite of either aquatic
protozoans or alveolar macrophages.
Dr. Cianciotto’s laboratory employs genetic approaches toward identifying
the bacterial factors that promote intracellular infection and disease. At
present, they are characterizing the genes that encode the bacterium's iron
acquisition systems, attachment organelles, toxins, protein secretion systems,
and membrane lipids.