Objective
Shigella is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes bacillary dysentery, killing around 200 thousand people each year and representing an urgent global threat due to rising antibiotic resistance. Beyond its medical relevance, Shigella has long been a paradigm in cellular microbiology, yielding landmark insights into host–pathogen interactions and illuminating fundamental mechanisms in cell biology. In my recent work, I discovered that UFMylation—a ubiquitin-like protein modification pathway with established roles in cell homeostasis—functions as a novel antibacterial defence mechanism. UFMylation marks intracellular bacteria such as Shigella for elimination, in a process independent from canonical ubiquitylation and autophagy, thereby uncovering an unexpected and largely unexplored branch of host immunity. The proposed project will elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of antibacterial UFMylation, revealing novel molecular principles of host recognition of intracellular bacteria, downstream pathways driving microbial elimination, and sophisticated pathogen evasion strategies. I will further investigate how these molecular events intersect, compete and ultimately impact UFMylation-mediated homeostasis at the cellular and tissue levels, repositioning this pathway at the interface between host defence and physiology. Through the integration of in vitro reconstitution systems, cellular assays and organoid models, and leveraging the powerful molecular toolkit of Shigella, this project is uniquely positioned to deliver breakthrough discoveries in the field of host-pathogen interactions and cell biology. Advancing our fundamental understanding of UFMylation may inspire innovative therapeutic strategies against antimicrobial-resistant infections, while also informing pathological conditions associated with UFMylation, such as cancer, inflammation, and Alzheimer’s disease.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-STG
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1211 Geneve
Switzerland
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