Molecular mechanisms of fungal cell wall assembly

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people with weakened immune systems die from fungal infections that current drugs cannot reliably treat. The problem is that fungi like *Aspergillus fumigatus* and *Candida albicans* are everywhere—we inhale their spores daily. A healthy immune system keeps them in check, but chemotherapy, organ transplants, and HIV leave patients vulnerable to lethal infections. Existing antifungal drugs are not uniformly effective, creating a significant unmet medical need. This project focuses on the enzymes that build the fungal cell wall—the protective outer shell that keeps the fungus alive. By understanding exactly how these enzymes assemble this structure, researchers aim to reveal weak points that new drugs could target. The work is fundamental science: it will not produce a drug directly. Instead, it will provide the molecular blueprint that pharmaceutical companies need to design novel antifungals. If successful, this research could open a new pipeline of treatments for life-threatening fungal infections, addressing a gap that has grown more urgent as drug resistance rises and patient populations expand.