Linda J KENNEY
Alumni, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore
Visit from Prof. Raymond Rodgers, a leading expert in mammalian ovarian biology, in January 2024!
The Chan Lab is incredibly grateful to have Ray share his research with us. After enjoying many discussions and fun moments, we look forward to more future collaborations!
Seeking Scientific Communicator at the Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore
The Mechanobiology Institute (MBI), National University of Singapore (NUS), is seeking to recruit a Scientific Communicator.
Congratulations to Jake Turley in securing prestigious Eric & Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoc Fellowship!
Congratulations to Jake Turley in securing prestigious Eric & Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoc Fellowship!
Jake Matthew Turley
Schmidt AI In Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Chan Group
Linda J Kenney
Alumni
Research Areas
Signal transduction in bacteria; Bacterial Pathogenesis; Mechanotransduction and osmotic signaling in E. coli; Mechanisms of anti-silencing of virulence genes in Salmonella
Research Interests
Our laboratory is interested in signal transduction and the regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes. In particular, we are studying the two-component regulatory system EnvZ/OmpR that regulates the expression of outer membrane proteins as well as many other genes. Our present work focuses on how OmpR activates genes required for systemic infection (located on Salmonella pathogenicity island 2) in Salmonella enterica.
The Kenney Lab’s research was recently featured in an article exploring the bacterial molecular switch between virulence or dormancy, Salmonella Lifestyle Choices. Members of her lab have discovered that the bacterial protein SsrB is the molecular switch for determining whether Salmonella infections become acute and virulent, or remain in a dormant carrier state.
The study is published in eLife (Desai et al., The horizontally-acquired response regulator SsrB drives a Salmonella lifestyle switch by relieving biofilm silencing, February 2, 2016, eLife 2016; 5: e10747, doi: 10.7554/eLife.10747). Read full article.
Biography
Dr Kenney is a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Her laboratory studies two-component systems in bacteria that control gene expression at a single cell and nanometer level.
Professor Linda J Kenney and Professor Michael Sheetz interviewed by the Washington Post at the April 2017 March for Science.
Education
PhD University of Pennsylvania
Recent Publications
- Fernandez M, Yamanaka Y, Zangoui P, White MA, and Kenney LJ. The sulfur assimilation pathway mitigates redox stress from acidic pH in Salmonella Typhi H58. mBio 2025;:e0046725. [PMID: 40422406]
- Shetty D, and Kenney LJ. A pH-sensitive switch activates virulence in Salmonella. Elife 2023; 12. [PMID: 37706506]
- Oh D, Liu X, Sheetz MP, and Kenney LJ. Small, Dynamic Clusters of Tir-Intimin Seed Actin Polymerization. Small 2023;:e2302580. [PMID: 37649226]
- Mon KKZ, Si Z, Chan-Park MB, and Kenney LJ. Polyimidazolium Protects against an Invasive Clinical Isolate of Salmonella Typhimurium. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022;:e0059722. [PMID: 36094258]
- Jacob H, Geng H, Shetty D, Halow N, Kenney LJ, and Nakano MM. Distinct Interaction Mechanism of RNAP and ResD and Distal Subsites for Transcription Activation of Nitrite Reductase in Bacillus subtilisψ. J Bacteriol 2021;:JB0043221. [PMID: 34898263]
- Singh MK, Zangoui P, Yamanaka Y, and Kenney LJ. Genetic code expansion enables visualization of Salmonella type three secretion system components and secreted effectors. Elife 2021; 10. [PMID: 34061032]
- Kenney LJ, and Anand GS. EnvZ/OmpR Two-Component Signaling: An Archetype System That Can Function Noncanonically. EcoSal Plus 2020; 9(1). [PMID: 32003321]
- Desai SK, and Kenney LJ. Switching Lifestyles Is an in vivo Adaptive Strategy of Bacterial Pathogens. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:421. [PMID: 31921700]
- Desai SK, Padmanabhan A, Harshe S, Zaidel-Bar R, and Kenney LJ. Salmonella biofilms program innate immunity for persistence in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2019;. [PMID: 31160462]
- Ottemann KM, and Kenney LJ. Editorial overview: Host-pathogen interactions: bacteria. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 2019; 47:iii-v. [PMID: 31138403]
Lab Members
Leong Kim Whye
Research Fellow, Class of August 2019, Chan Group
Kashish Jain
PhD Student, Class of August 2019, Kanchanawong Group, Sheetz Group
Hu Jinrong
Research Assistant, PhD Student, Class of August 2019, Li Group, Bershadsky Group
Pulling biomolecular complexes
MBI scientists demonstrate how the phenomenon of force-induced stabilization of biomolecular complexes can be explained on a one-dimensional energy landscape by incorporating defined transition coordinates.
Huang Cheng Kuang
Research Fellow, Lim Group
More twists to the tale: Varied actin patterns in epithelial cells
A recent study led by MBI graduate student Salma Jalal and Senior Research Fellow Tee Yee Han reveals differences in actin organization patterns observed in fibroblasts and epithelial cell subtypes.
Appreciation evening for MBI’s Founding Director
On Friday 28 June 2019, MBI held an appreciation dinner for Prof. Michael Sheetz to mark his time as Director of MBI. Prof. Sheetz has been MBI Director since its inception, having been recruited by Prof. Hew Choy Leong to lead a new RCE in Mechanobiology in 2008.
Cell polarity: Aurora over the pole
A recent study led by the Motegi Lab has identified the master switch that triggers the symmetry breaking process in the zygotes of the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans. Learn more
MBI Director honoured with ASCB Senior Leadership Award
MBI Director Prof. Li Rong has been awarded the 2019 Sandra K. Masur Senior Leadership Award from the American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB). This award recognizes cell biology researchers whose “outstanding scientific achievements are coupled with a record of active leadership in mentoring both men and women in scientific careers.”
2019 Bootcamp in Mechanobiology: An Integrative Approach to Understand Cell Function
MBI's 10-day "bootcamp" style course covers fundamental concepts and practical approaches in understanding cellular functions. The Bootcamp lectures are open to all interested graduate students and post-docs.
Kedsarin Fong Ngern
Research Fellow, Kanchanawong Group
2019 Frontiers in Mechanobiology
MBI is hosting a one day symposium, Frontiers in Mechanobiology, on July 15th, 2019. The symposium will feature nine speakers and a full schedule of talks of interest to those on the cutting edge of mechanobiology. The event is free and open to all interested, there is no registration required.
