Our latest research is now peer-reviewed and officially published in Microbiology Spectrum:

Rijal R*, Gomer RH. Pharmacological inhibition of host signaling pathways enhances macrophage killing of intracellular bacterial pathogens. Microbiol Spectr. 2026 Jan 3; e02163-25. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02163-25. PMCID: PMC12772234

In this study, we show that targeting select host proteins enhances macrophage killing of intracellular pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Legionella pneumophila, and Listeria monocytogenes. Guided by a polyphosphate (polyP)-based pathway first defined in Dictyostelium, inhibitors of P2Y1, RAGE, mTOR, and IP6K restored key macrophage functions such as phagosome acidification and proinflammatory polarization. These findings support host-directed approaches that boost innate clearance across diverse intracellular infections.