Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of fatalities amongst all the infectious diseases. The situation continues to be exacerbated by the emergence of multi-drug resistant and extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify new targets and develop new therapies/drugs for this disease. Membrane proteins and the large molecular machines often play crucial roles in the survival of the Mtb, and therefore attract attention for drug development. 

The Laboratory of Protein Machine and New Drugs (LPMD) in SIAIS focuses on (1) structural and functional studies of membrane proteins & molecular machines from Mtb, and (2) the development of new drugs/therapies against TB and other mycobacterial infections. Our major research objectives include investigations of the membrane proteins for cell wall biosynthesis, transport/secretion system machinery and supercomplexes in energy metabolism, with a goal to revealing their precise functional roles in the life cycle of Mtb.