Fata Moradali, Ph.D.

image Fata Moradali, PhD

Assistant Professor

 

Dept. of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Room 355, School of Dentistry
Office Phone: 502-852-5528
Email: fata.moradali@louisville.edu
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0230-5006

Research Themes: Host-Pathogen Systems Biology,Periodontal Infections, Chronic Systemic Inflammation, and Alzheimer’s Disease

A complex community of Gram-negative bacteria, known as periodontal pathogens, has significant potential to induce gum inflammation and various inflammatory diseases. We examine the structure and role of key immunostimulants, immunomodulating factors, and signaling components produced by periodontal pathogens in regulating innate immune responses at molecular and cellular levels. The goal of our studies is to advance the identification of key contributors to the development and sustainability of inflammatory conditions, diagnostic biomarkers, and druggable targets.

Our research is interdisciplinary and requires leveraging innovative system-based approaches while integrating tools from molecular/cellular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, and bioengineering.

Our current projects focus on

  • Investigating the structural variation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; endotoxin) in periodontal pathogens and its contribution to inflammatory responses underlying periodontal inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Studying key signaling systems that control the virulence potential of periodontal pathogens and impact innate immune responses.
  • Understanding fundamental molecular interactive networks and cellular reprogramming in the host-pathogen system, promoting self-sustained, chronic inflammatory conditions.
  • Leveraging molecular engineering for deciphering and imaging the intricate molecular and cellular interactions implicated in inflammatory conditions.

 Current Funding

  • The control of LPS heterogeneity and virulence by C-di-AMP signaling in Porphyromonas gingivalis, R03 DE031854 (PI)
  • Contribution of P. gingivalis LPS heterogeneity to inflammatory responses and development of Alzheimer`s Disease biomarkers, 3R03DE031854-01 (PI)
  • Regulation of LPS structure and function in P. gingivalis. P20 GM125504 (PI)

Membership

The University of Louisville Center for Biomedical Research (COBRE), in Functional Microbiomics, Inflammation and Pathogenicity (Research Project Leader)

Current lab members

 


Ratnam Seelan, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist


Masoud Hamidi, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Associate


Fatemeh Karimi Tabar, Ph.D.

Research Associate 

Selected Publications

  1. Growth of Porphyromonas gingivalis on human serum albumin triggers programmed cell death. J Oral Microbiol,15(1):2161182 (2023)
  2. Atypical cyclic di-AMP signaling is essential for Porphyromonas gingivalis growth and regulation of cell envelope homeostasis and virulence. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes 8, 53 (2022)
  3. Metabolic plasticity enables lifestyle transitions of Porphyromonas gingivalis. npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, 7(1):46 (2021)
  4. Biopolymers for biomedical and biotechnological applications. John Wiley & Sons (2021)
  5. Microbial cell factories for biomanufacturing of polysaccharides. In: Biopolymers for biomedical and biotechnological applications. John Wiley & Sons. (2021)
  6. PPAD activity promotes outer membrane vesicle biogenesis and surface translocation by Porphyromonas gingivalis. Journal of Bacteriology, 203(4) (2020)
  7. Bacterial biopolymers: from pathogenesis to advanced materials.  Nature Reviews Microbiology, 18, 195–210 (2020)
  8. The regulation of alginate biosynthesis via cyclic di-GMP signaling. In: Microbial cyclic di-nucleotide signaling. Springer (2020)
  9. Amino acids as wetting agents: surface translocation by Porphyromonas gingivalis. The ISME Journal, 13: 1560–1574 (2019)
  10. The role of alginate in bacterial biofilm formation. In: Extracellular sugar-based biopolymers matrices. Biologically-inspired systems, vol 12. Springer (2019)
  11. Alginates and their biomedical applications. Springer. (2018)
  12. Activation mechanism and cellular localization of membrane-anchored alginate polymerase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 83 (9) e03499-16. (2017) 
  13. Alginate polymerization and modification are linked in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. mBio, 6 (3) e00453-15 (2015)