معرفی
Dr. María Lara-Tejero is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis at Yale School of Medicine, Yale University. Her research employs multidisciplinary approaches to study the pathogenesis of Salmonella enterica, focusing on type III secretion machines that deliver bacterial effector proteins into host cells.
Education:
- DVM, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain (1995)
- PhD in Microbiology, Yale University (2001)
- Postdoctoral Training in Immunobiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Institute (2004)
Research Interests:
Her laboratory investigates bacterial virulence mechanisms with emphasis on: Host-Pathogen Interactions, Structural Biology of Secretion Systems, Salmonella Pathogenesis, and Bacterial Nanomachinery. Research integrates cryo-electron tomography, molecular genetics, and cellular microbiology to dissect infection processes.
Publications Summary:
Recent work (2018-2024) reveals structural insights into type III secretion systems, host defense pathways against intracellular pathogens, toxin trafficking mechanisms, and bacterial motility machinery. Studies frequently appear in high-impact journals including Science, Nature Microbiology, and PNAS.
Awards:
- Irvington Institute Post-doctoral Fellowship (2003)
- Nat L. Sternberg Thesis Prize for outstanding PhD thesis (2001)
- Yale University Award for outstanding research (2000)
Lab & Collaborations:
Leads the Galán/Lara-Tejero Lab, collaborating extensively with structural biologists and immunologists. Research has been supported by NIH grants focused on bacterial pathogenesis mechanisms.
