Most infectious agents enter the host via a mucosal surface.
However, the great majority of the current available vaccines are delivered parenterally. A vaccine delivered directly to the mucosal lymphoid tissues could effectively immunopotentiate the host response at the site of pathogen entry as well as at the systemic level. My research focuses on the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms involved in the generation of immune responses following natural infection or mucosal immunization in the presence or absence of mucosal adjuvants. I am particularly interested in pathogens of the genitourinary tract such as Candida albicans and uropathogenic E.coli . My primary research goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms that are conducive to the induction of protective responses against these pathogens and to ultimately use this knowledge to design effective strategies for vaccination against mucosal pathogens.