The main research focus of the Brueggemann group is Streptococcus pneumoniae (the ‘pneumococcus’), a bacterium that is a major cause of diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis worldwide. Current research involves using high-throughput genotyping and whole genome sequencing techniques and unique collections of isolates to understand pneumococcal evolution, especially evolutionary changes related to antimicrobial and vaccine selective pressures. Molecular epidemiology and population biology provide the foundation for all aspects of the group’s research.
Our work has particular relevance to:
- understanding how antimicrobial resistance determinants evolve and spread
- long-term effectiveness of the existing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
- the design of future vaccines
- the development of novel antimicrobials
