Harvard University · Microbiology & ImmunologyHelaine Microbiology Lab
Sophie Helaine · Cambridge, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Dr. Sophie Helaine's research focuses on understanding how certain bacteria, like Salmonella, survive stressful conditions and become resistant to antibiotics. The lab studies specialized genes called Toxin-Antitoxin systems that help bacteria control their growth in response to threats from the immune system or antibiotics. By exploring how these systems are activated and how they function, the lab aims to uncover new strategies to combat antibiotic resistance and improve treatment for bacterial infections.
SalmonellaToxin-Antitoxin systemsantibiotic resistancebacterial persistencemacrophagesgene expressionstress responsebacterial growth control
Research Aims
4AIM 01Investigate how Toxin-Antitoxin systems are de-repressed in response to stress.
AIM 02Examine the liberation of toxins during bacterial stress responses.
AIM 03Assess the physiological effects of toxin activity on Salmonella.
AIM 04Determine the role of Toxin-Antitoxin systems in bacterial survival during immune attacks.
Skills the Lab Values
genetic analysisbiochemical assaysstructural biology techniquescell culturelive-cell imagingmutagenesisprotein purificationimmunological assaysdata analysis using Python
Output against the department
Publications91bottom 30% of dept.337th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations7.3ktop 49% of dept.236th 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.