Science Spotlight: Dr. Sasmita Panda

Dr Sasmita Panda, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (ERA) Fellow at ITQB NOVA, Portugal, delivered an engaging seminar on bacterial cell-division mechanisms and their implications for combating antimicrobial resistance.In her talk, Dr Panda discussed her PhD work which focused on Ocular infections caused by Staphylococcus species. She also elaborated on her ongoing research project on the mechanisms for recruitment and activation of septal peptidoglycan hydrolases in Staphylococcus aureus.

Given that Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains, remains a major health threat globally, understanding its division and wall maintenance mechanisms is crucial for novel therapeutic strategies. The seminar offered valuable insights into the molecular processes underlying bacterial growth and division, stimulating thoughtful discussion among faculty and students.