Gad Frankel

Professor Gad Frankel leads the Molecular Pathogenesis group at Imperial College London's Department of Life Sciences, part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences. He specializes in studying Gram-negative bacterial pathogens such as Citrobacter rodentium and Klebsiella pneumoniae, focusing on antimicrobial resistance, host-microbe interactions, and bacterial conjugation. His work integrates structural biology, live microscopy, and in vivo imaging to dissect infection mechanisms.

Education & Career: B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Genetics from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Postdoctoral research at Stanford University (Howard Hughes Fellow). Joined Imperial College in 1998, promoted to Professor in 2002.

Research Focus: 1) Citrobacter rodentium pathogenesis and host immune responses; 2) K. pneumoniae virulence and carbapenem resistance spread via conjugation; 3) Role of type III secretion systems in bacterial infection. Collaborates with the MRC Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection (CMBI).

Labs & Affiliations: Active in the Centre for Bacterial Resistance Biology, Institute of Chemical Biology, and Vaccine Research Network. Supervises multiple PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in bacterial pathogenesis and structural biology.

Grants & Funding: Ongoing research supported by UKRI, Wellcome Trust, and MRC grants focusing on antimicrobial resistance and host-pathogen dynamics.