Bacteriophage (or phage for short) are the most abundant and diverse microbe found in the body. Phages control and manipulate bacterial populations, prevent infection and disease and have important roles in regulating the microbiome and body that have not yet been fully elucidated.
A major study system in our lab is the mucosal surface – a microbe-rich, protective barrier that covers the covers the active epithelium of the body, including the gut, lung and urinary tract among other locales. The Bacteriophage Adherence to Mucus (BAM) model describes a novel phage-based immune system, whereby phages adhering to mucus reduce bacterial colonization of these surfaces, protecting them from infection and disease.
We are an experimental biology lab and utilise a range of cross-disciplinary techniques to investigate fundamental and mechanistic bacteriophage biology.
The Barr Lab is based at the School of Biological Sciences in Monash University.
