University of Illinois Chicago · Microbiology & ImmunologyThe Polymicrobial Lab
Judith Behnsen · Chicago, Illinois
Research Focus
Dr. Judith Behnsen's lab at the University of Illinois at Chicago studies the interactions between bacteria and fungi in the gut. They focus specifically on how the yeast Candida albicans affects infections caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhimurium. Their research aims to understand the biological mechanisms that increase disease severity when these two pathogens coexist, which could lead to better treatments for polymicrobial infections.
SalmonellaCandida albicanspolymicrobial infectionsgut microbiomeimmune response
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate how Candida albicans influences Salmonella Typhimurium virulence gene expression.
AIM 02Determine the binding mechanisms between Candida albicans and Salmonella Typhimurium.
AIM 03Analyze immune responses during co-infection in mouse models.
AIM 04Assess the impact of gut inflammation on pathogen interactions.
AIM 05Explore the effects of fungal components on bacterial pathogenicity.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRcell culturemouse modelsin vivo imagingWestern blotflow cytometrycoculture techniquesgene expression analysisanimal handlingmicroscopy
Output against the department
Publications41bottom 7% of dept.452nd of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations2.4kbottom 15% of dept.415th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.