The research in my group focuses on respiratory and/or meningitis-causing pathogens of man, e.g. Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and animals e.g. Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP), Haemophilus parasuis, Pasteurella multocida. Dependent on the pathogen, the aims are to improve vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and a greater understanding of the basis of bacterial pathogenicity. A major focus of our work is on the pig pathogen APP carried out in collaboration with Professor Andrew Rycroft (Royal Veterinary College London). We have developed high throughput genome wide mutagenesis protocols and screens (based on Transposon Directed Insertion site Sequencing [TraDIS]) to identify APP genes essential for growth in vitro and in vivo, with a view to developing novel antimicrobial and vaccine strategies. The methods developed are applicable to other pathogenic members of the Pasteurellaceae i.e. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, H. influenzae, Mannheimia haemolytica, and P. multocida. In addition, we are seeking vaccine candidates that will prevent disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B infections. Monoclonal antibodies are derived from patients recovering from meningococcal disease, and the proteins recognised on the surface of the bacterium determined. Home page = www.imperial.ac.uk/people/p.langford