Postdoc Spotlight: Mahendar Kadari

Mahendar Kadari is a Post-doctoral fellow in the Lawrenz Lab within the Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Could you tell us about this work and how this achievement will impact your professional career?

"Growing up in a remote farming village in southern India, I developed a deep curiosity about nature and microorganisms that has since guided my academic journey across continents. After completing my bachelor’s degree in Biological Science in India, I pursued a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology in Sweden, where I specialized in Molecular Microbiology. I later earned my PhD at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium, supported by the prestigious FNRS FRIA fellowship. During my doctoral research, I uncovered the role of the protein Spa33 in regulating the Type III Secretion System of enteric pathogen Shigella flexneri, thereby advancing our understanding of bacterial virulence. This work was published in the journal of MicrobiologyOpen.

I expanded my research expertise during my postdoctoral training at Lund University, where I studied outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) of airway pathogen non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae and their roles in virulence and vaccine development. This work resulted in additional peer-reviewed publications in the journal of Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

Currently, as a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Matthew Lawrenz’s lab at UofL, my research focuses on how Yersinia adapts to host-imposed metal limitation and toxicity, key mechanisms of nutritional immunity during infection. My work has been recognized with several honors, including an NIH-sponsored travel award (MMPC 2025), Best Oral Presentation Awards at MAMPM 2025 and the ASM Kentucky/Tennessee Branch Meeting 2025, and an invitation to speak at the 70th Wind River Conference on Prokaryotic Biology. I have also been awarded a travel grant from the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (OGPDS) to support my participation in this conference. 

These accomplishments will provide a solid foundation for advancing my career as an independent researcher, with the goal of contributing to the development of novel strategies to combat infectious diseases and improve global public health."

What is your research about?

"My research focuses on understanding how bacterial pathogens survive within the host and overcome immune defenses that restrict their growth. A central theme of my work is investigating how bacteria acquire essential trace metals, including iron, zinc, manganese, and copper, which are required for cellular function and virulence.

During infection, the host employs a defense mechanism known as nutritional immunity, in which proteins such as calprotectin, transferrin, and lactoferrin limit bacterial access to essential metals. In addition, immune cells can expose pathogens to toxic concentrations of certain metals to inhibit their survival. To counter these defenses, successful bacterial pathogens have evolved specialized systems for metal acquisition and metal detoxification.

Under the mentorship of Prof. Lawrenz, my research has focused on host–pathogen interactions in an enteric pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and its close relative Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague. The Lawrenz lab has made significant contributions to understanding how Yersinia pestis overcomes host-imposed metal limitation. These foundational studies provide the framework and scientific direction for my studies exploring alternative zinc acquisition mechanisms in Y. pseudotuberculosis.

Building on this work, I discovered a previously unrecognized pathway that enables the Y. pseudotuberculosis to overcome zinc limitation within the host. This finding revealed a novel mechanism of zinc acquisition and expanded our understanding of the adaptive strategies bacterial pathogens employ to persist and proliferate in metal-restricted environments.

Overall, my research seeks to define the molecular strategies that enable bacterial pathogens to acquire essential metals during infection. By uncovering these critical survival mechanisms, my work aims to support the development of a new class of antimicrobial therapeutics that disrupt metal acquisition pathways used by Yersinia and other clinically important bacterial pathogens."

What are your career goals and vision?

"My long-term goal is to establish an independent research program focused on microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions. I aim to investigate how bacterial pathogens adapt to host-imposed stresses, such as immune pressure, nutrient limitation and toxicity, and to identify novel targets for antimicrobial therapies. Through this work, I hope to contribute to the development of innovative strategies to combat infectious diseases, particularly in the face of rising antibiotic resistance.

Equally important to my career goals is a strong commitment to mentorship and education. I am passionate about training and guiding students from diverse backgrounds, fostering their scientific curiosity, critical thinking, and technical skills. By creating a supportive and inclusive research environment, I aim to inspire the next generation of scientists to pursue meaningful careers in biomedical research.

Ultimately, my goal is to integrate high-impact research with effective mentorship and collaborative efforts to address pressing global health challenges. By combining discovery-driven science with translational applications, I strive to make lasting contributions to both the scientific community and society."

If you are a postdoc at UofL and want to share your accomplishments, email us at ulpda@louisville.edu.