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Academic Staff Contact Details
George L. Mendz

A/Professor George L. Mendz

LicSc, PhD

Associate Professor

Room No:

301B

Office:

School of biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences Biological Sciences Building

Phone:

9385 2042

Fax:

9385 1483

Email:

G.Mendz@unsw.edu.au
Teaching Responsibilities:

MICR2202  Course Lecturer
MICR3081  Course Lecturer
BIOC3261  Course Lecturer   

Research Description:

The laboratory studies the physiology and genetics of enterohepatic spiral bacteria, with focus on the Gram-negative genera Campylobacter and Helicobacter. Objectives of these investigations are: * to identify and characterise targets for therapeutic intervention; * to develop specific new antimicrobials against these bacteria; * to understand the genetic and physiological bases of their microaerophily; * to define the molecular basis of antibiotic resistance; * to determine the characteristics the transport of metabolites such as aminoacids, carboxylic acids, nucleobases, etc.; and * to characterise protein-lipid and protein-protein interactions which modulate the activity of central metabolism enzymes. Physicochemical methods employed in these studies are protein expression, NMR spectroscopy, CD-spectropolarimetry, spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, etc. Molecular biology techniques include gene disruption, isolation of RNA for microarray studies, DNA isolation; etc.

Selected Publications:

Suerbaum S, Josenhans C, Sterzenbach T, Drescher B, Brandt P, Bell M, Droge M, Fartmann B, Fischer HP, Ge Z, Horster A, Holland R, Klein K, Konig J, Macko L, Mendz GL, Nyakatura G, Schauer DB, Shen Z, Weber J, Frosch M, Fox JG. The complete genome sequence of the carcinogenic bacterium Helicobacter hepaticus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Jun 24;100(13):7901-7906.

Mendz GL, Megraud F. Is the molecular basis of metronidazole resistance in microaerophilic organisms understood? Trends Microbiol. 2002 Aug;10(8):370-375.

Mendz GL, Burns BP. Characterization of arginine transport in Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter 2003 Aug;8(1):1-7.

Gobert AP, McGee DJ, Akhtar M, Mendz GL, Newton JC, Cheng Y, Mobley HL, Wilson KT. Helicobacter pylori arginase inhibits nitric oxide production by eukaryotic cells: a strategy for bacterial survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Nov 20;98(24):13844-13849. Jorgensen MA, Trend MA, Hazell SL, Mendz GL. Potential involvement of several nitroreductases in metronidazole resistance in Helicobacter pylori. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2001 Aug 15;392(2):180-191.
Other Professional Activities:

 

 
 


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