Candida albicans biofilm formation is a poorly understood, complex biological process with significant consequences for human health. In this thesis, I describe the progress I have made in elucidating the genetic mechanisms of Candida albicans biofilm formation using a large-scale gene disruption strategy. The Bcr1-dependent adherence regulatory pathway that I discovered is pivotal to our understanding of C. albicans biofilm formation. Without the transcription factor Bcr1, named for Biofilm and Cell-wall Regulator, C. albicans cells are unable to form biofilms, a process that is extremely important to its lifestyle and pathogenicity. Expression analysis indicates that Bcr1 activates cell surface protein and adhesin genes, whose gene products could be used to develop new anti-fungal therapies.
Nobile Clarissa Clarissa Nobile was born in Rome and grew up in NYC. She attended Swarthmore College for her undergraduate studies, and Columbia University for graduate school. Her PhD research was focused on the study of biofilm development. She has been trained in microbiology and microbial pathogenesis using molecular biology and genetic techniques.