Andreas Peschel

Our new paper on type VII - showing a role in delaying macrophage death-

Sinkende Qualität, Gefahr für die Patientensicherheit, steigende Kosten: KHAG gefährdet die infektionsmedizinische Versorgung | Deutsches Zentrum für Infektionsforschung Am 8. Oktober 2025 hat das Bundeskabinett den Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Anpassung der Krankenhausreform (KHAG) beschlossen.

🏥 Die geplante #Krankenhausreform gefährdet die infektionsmedizinische Versorgung. In einer gemeinsamen Stellungnahme fordern zahlreiche Fachgesellschaften und Verbände die Wiederaufnahme der Leistungsgruppe „Klinische Infektiologie“, um die Versorgungsqualität und Patientensicherheit zu sichern.

A host-directed adjuvant sensitizes intracellular bacterial persisters to antibiotics - Nature Microbiology The authors developed a screen to find compounds that modulate intracellular Staphylococcus aureus metabolism and discovered KL1, which sensitizes persisters to antibiotics by reversing host-induced tolerance.

Delighted to share our latest paper - A host-directed adjuvant sensitizes intracellular bacterial persisters to antibiotics. Excellently led by Dr. Kuan-Yi Lu. We think it's a great proof-of-concept that altering immune cell behavior can make antibiotics work better www.nature.com/articles/s41...

High-resolution Staphylococcus profiling reveals intra-species diversity in a single skin niche The skin microbiome is dominated by a few key genera, among which Staphylococcus is one of the most well characterized. Recent studies have examined the roles of various Staphylococcus species such as...

and Staphylococcus story in this paper....
www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

All dependent on friends in @universityofhull.bsky.social Michelle Rudden, Holly Wilkinson and Matt Hardman & co., & Unilever colleagues Barry Murphy, Jo Hunt & Rob Cornmell & Yorkies @seanmeaden.bsky.social

The German Center for Infection Research establishes a new funding initiative | German Center for Infection Research The German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) is launching the DZIF Start-up Fund, a new funding initiative to support spin-offs in translational infection research.

DZIF Start-up Fund: Support for spin-offs in infection research with mentoring + up to €500K funding. Focus: preventive & therapeutic anti-infectives. Apply by Nov 30, 2025!

More info ➡️

Check it out! A proper team effort from past and present group members and a great collaboration with @sergemostowylab.bsky.social

Nasal microbionts differentially colonize and elicit cytokines in human nasal epithelial organoids | mSphere Human nasal microbiota often includes highly pathogenic members, many of which are antimicrobial resistance threats, e.g., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and drug-resistant Streptococcus ...

Happy to share this new article online at #mSphere journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...
Human nasal organoids (HNOs) are a new model system for studying bacterial colonization and interspecies interactions. A big congratulations to the whole team, especially co-first authors: Andrea Boyd and Leah Kafer

Infotafel mit Schriftzug "Walter Benjamin Programme" und Datumsangaben: 14 October Tuesday 1:30 - 15p.m. CET in English

#ResearchCareers: Just finishing your #PhD and wondering if the DFG’s Walter Benjamin Programme is a #funding option for your next step in academia? Come and find out in our digital info talk on 14 October. No registration, the meeting link will be published here:
➡️ www.dfg.de/en/research-...

Defined roles for the Staphylococcus aureus POT transporter DtpT in di/tripeptide uptake and glutathione utilisation inside human macrophages Author summary The environments where bacterial pathogens thrive are often rich in proteins and their degradation products, including oligopeptides, which can be taken up by the bacterium and used as ...

Our work deciphering the substrate preferences of a di-/tripeptide transporter from S. aureus is now available as a proof at @plos.org Pathogens! Big thanks to the reviewers and to all the brilliant co-authors, particularly Callum who helped get those last few crucial experiments across the line

Congratulations @lisamaierlab.bsky.social and Anne, much deserved. You are also such an asset for @cmfi.bsky.social and @dzif.bsky.social

‘Nightmare bacteria’ cases are increasing in the U.S. It’s likely that many people are unrecognized carriers of the drug-resistant bacteria, which could lead to community spread, CDC scientists said.

CDC reports that the 'nightmare bacteria' with the NDM gene infections rose ~ 70% from 2019–2023 & is resistant to almost all antibiotics.

At GARDP, Shionogi’s approved antibiotic cefiderocol & Bugworks’ BWC0977, now in clinical development, show activity against it.

🔗Read: bit.ly/4pFG05H

Fascinating study delineating plasmid evolution during the last 100 years.

Expression of mecA increases daptomycin tolerance in Staphylococcus aureus | mBio The incidence of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is on a steady incline in many parts of the world. Given the associated mortality rates have changed little in the last 10 years, this is a major heal...

Latest from Lizzie Ledger in the lab…. Very cool story demonstrating the cross reactivity of a single AMR mechanism to confer resistance/tolerance to two distinct classes of antibiotics.

journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage promotes depressive behaviour in mice via sex hormone degradation - Nature Microbiology Nasal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus is linked with depression in a human cohort and shown in a mouse model to cause decreased serotonin and dopamine in the brain.

#NewResearch

Nasal colonisation by S. aureus is linked with depression in a human cohort and shown in a mouse model to cause decreased serotonin and dopamine in the brain

#MicroSky #Depression

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Phage-mediated lysis does not determine Cutibacterium acnes colonization on human skin Despite Cutibacterium acnes being the most abundant and prevalent bacteria on human skin, only a single type of phage has been identified that infects this host. Here, we leverage this one-to-one syst...

How much of selection in human microbiomes is driven by phage?

Excited to share our latest, led by A. Delphine Tripp, showing a case where phage is just not that important:

Phage-mediated lysis does not determine Cutibacterium acnes colonization on human skin

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

🧵

CRISPR-Cas9 enables efficient genome engineering of the strictly lytic, broad-host-range staphylococcal bacteriophage K | Applied and Environmental Microbiology Phage engineering, the process of modifying bacteriophages to enhance or customize their properties, offers significant potential for advancing precision antimicrobial therapies and diagnostics. While...

CRISPR-Cas9 enables efficient genome engineering of the strictly lytic, broad-host-range staphylococcal bacteriophage K | Applied and Environmental Microbiology journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

Myeloperoxidase transforms chromatin into neutrophil extracellular traps - Nature Myeloperoxidase, a highly expressed neutrophil protein, disassembles nucleosomes, facilitating neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, and binds stably to NETs extracellularly.

📃 New paper alert!
The Zychlinsky Lab and @raunser-lab.bsky.social identified the first protein that converts chromatin into an immune effector: Myeloperoxidase transforms chromatin into neutrophil extracellular traps. Now published in @nature.com:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Dynamic visualization of extracellular matrix components in S. aureus colony biofilms reveals functional amyloids leading to the formation of cap-like structures Staphylococcus aureus infections represent a clinical challenge due to their propensity to form biofilms and the increasing prevalence of antibiotic r…

Dynamic visualization of extracellular matrix components in S. aureus colony biofilms reveals functional amyloids leading to the formation of cap-like structures

@biofilmjournal.bsky.social from Agneta Richter-Dahlfors

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Congratulations @kengmo.bsky.social !

Applying evolutionary theory to understand host–microbiome evolution - Nature Ecology & Evolution This Perspective discusses how well-established theoretical models of evolution can be adapted to study and generate testable predictions about the evolutionary dynamics of host–microbiota association...

I am happy to announce publication of our new perspectives paper on applying evolutionary theory to host-microbiome evolution - new tricks for old dogs! @bweek.bsky.social @uni-kiel.de @transevo.bsky.social @crc1182.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Bridging the fair share gap for antibacterial innovation: an observational analysis of antibacterial revenues in the G7 and EU27 Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an important global health challenge, including insufficient investment in research and development. This study q…

Who should pay for #AMR innovation?

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@akesselheim.bsky.social

Phosphate sensing by PhoPR regulates the cytotoxicity of Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus aureus has evolved a complex regulatory network to coordinate expression of virulence factors, including cytolytic toxins, with host environmental signals. Central to this network are t...

New work from the lab, lead by Nathan Palk and supported by Tarcisio Brignoli and Marcia Boura…. None of which are on here!

If you like S. aureus, toxin production and two component regulatory systems, you’ll like this:

www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/jour...

BlueFacts: Bluesky Trends and Insights BlueFacts is your resource for all things Bluesky. You can find trends and insights about users, posts, videos, feeds and more.

Interesting info on BlueSky accounts

bluefacts.app

Join us at the VAAM Annual Conference🌟 22.-25.3.2026 in Berlin 👥!

✏️Registration is now open - benefit from early bird fees🏃‍♀️!
📝 Submit your abstract &
🎓 Apply for student travel grants until
🗓️ 7 November 2025.

All details & more info 👉https://t1p.de/zazfv

Role of Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 and Toll-Like Receptor 2 in Skin Barrier Function and Atopic Dermatitis The skin acts as a barrier against external threats and plays an important role in tissue repair. Skin cells, including keratinocytes, sense microbe-a…

How do keratinocytes sense bacterial commensals or pathogens?
@cmfi.bsky.social
Here is our recent review:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Small molecule inhibitors of the NorA multidrug efflux pump potentiate antibiotic activity by binding the outward-open conformation Antibiotic resistance is among the greatest threats of the modern era. Multidrug efflux pumps expel antibiotics from bacterial cells and present a particular challenge by conferring resistance to a br...

New preprint from the lab, in collaboration with Ed Tate, Nate Traaseth and many others!

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Our new review “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤-𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘴” is out

Compared to antibiotics, vaccines:

✓ Act prophylactically at low pathogen burden

✓ Less prone to inducing resistance due to multifactorial nature of immune pressure

🧵1/3

"What makes S. aureus such a difficult vaccination candidate?" Here are some answers:

Methicillin-resistant and susceptible Staphylococcus aureus: tolerance, immune evasion and treatment Nature Reviews Microbiology, Published online: 20 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41579-025-01226-2Staphylococcus aureus is an important cause of bacterial infection and death worldwide. This Review outlines basic research on S. aureus immune evasion mechanisms and antibiotic resistance, and clinical studies on treatment and prevention of infection.

New online! Methicillin-resistant and susceptible Staphylococcus aureus: tolerance, immune evasion and treatment