Spatially_resolved_host_pathogen_interactions_across_the_cystic_fibrosis_lung

Bacterial infections of CF patients with Mycobacterium abscessus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are very difficult to treat, and therefore almost all adults with CF are chronically colonised with atleast one of these pathogens. The duration of these infections allows the evolution of subclonal diversity and adaptation to the lung environment over time. However, in addition to temporal diversity it is thought there may be significant spatial diversity in microbial populations across the lung. The anatomy lung is highly compartmentalized and heterogenous in terms of macrostructures in addition to the distribution of cell types, creating diverse microenvironmental niches for bacteria to exploit. In this study we are exploring the spatial genomic and transcriptomic diversity of CF pathogens and the resident host cells across lung tissue to better understand host-pathogen interactions.