KimmeyLab

Our research focuses on interactions between bacteria and the circadian clock. We are particularly interested in understanding how differences in host immune responses impact susceptibility to infection.

Streptococcus pneumoniae asymptomatically colonizes a significant portion of the human population, but can cause severe invasive disease including pneumonia, sepsis, meningitis, and death. We ask how variations in innate immunity contribute to these different states, and what bacterial factors upset this balance.