Chenggang Wu
Assistant Professor
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
McGovern Medical School
Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Our laboratory studies Fusobacterium nucleatum, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium strongly associated with periodontitis and increasingly linked to systemic diseases, including adverse pregnancy outcomes and colorectal cancer. A defining feature of F. nucleatum is its ability to physically interact with a wide range of oral microbes, thereby acting as a key organizer of polymicrobial communities. Our research focuses on understanding the genetic and physiological mechanisms that enable F. nucleatum to survive, interact with other microbes, and adapt to stress. Current projects include developing genetic tools for precise genome manipulation, defining essential genes required for bacterial viability, and investigating how F. nucleatum senses and responds to different microbial partners. We also study how this anaerobic bacterium tolerates oxygen stress and explore the functions of Type IV pili and Type IV secretion systems.
McGovern Medical School Faculty
Education & Training
PhD, Institute of Microbiology, 2007