The Naglik Lab employs molecular, cellular, immunological, biophysical and structural biology to investigate host-fungal interactions. The mission is to identify fungal and host factors associated with the disease process and protective immune responses.

Projects

Candida pathogenicity - candidalysin
Deaths per annum from fungal infections are greater than the global mortality due to malaria or breast cancer and are similar to deaths due to tuberculosis. Despite this, the mechanisms that promote fungal disease are largely unknown. The Naglik Lab recently identified the candidalysins, a family of peptide toxins produced by pathogenic Candida spp. (the causative agents of thrush). This discovery has significantly advanced the understanding of fungal pathogenesis, as human pathogenic fungi were not known to possess such toxins. The candidalysins are critical for the ability of these fungi to cause tissue damage and this project aims to determine the mechanisms by which the candidalysins promote fungal disease.

Candida immunity
Candida pathogens activate epithelial cells that drive the induction of protective innate immune responses. Epithelial activation occurs via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway. This leads to the activation of AP-1 transcription factors, cytokine production, and the subsequent recruitment of innate immune cells. This project aims to determine the importance of EGFR and MAPK signalling pathways in the protection against Candida infections.
Publications
Awards
Major Research Grants currently held (chronological order)
2019-2024 Wellcome Trust Investigator Award (214229_Z_18_Z_). Fungal peptide toxins in pathogenicity and immunity. Applicant: Julian Naglik (PI). Amount to PI: £2,076,915.
2017-2022 National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA). R01 MERIT Award (R37-DE022550). Host and Fungal Regulation of Type 17 Immunity to Oral Candidiasis. Applicants: Sarah Gaffen (PI), Julian Naglik (Co-PI). Amount to Co-PI: $756,888.
2017-2022 National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre award to King’s College London (IS-BRC-1215-20006). Total: £5,773,526. Co-PI with 50 applicants. Programme: Oral Fungal Infections. Amount to PI: ~£500,000. April 1st 2017 – March 31st 2022.
2016-2020 Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Project grant. BB/N014677/1. Candidalysins: Mechanistic function of a novel family of fungal peptide toxins. Applicants: Julian Naglik (PI), Jonathan Richardson (Co-Investigator) and Bernhard Hube (Project Partner). Amount to PI: £486,768. July 2016 – June 2020.
2015-2019 EU H2020. Project grant: 643558. EMI-TB (Eliciting mucosal immunity in tuberculosis). Juraj Ivanji (PI), Julian Naglik (Co-PI), Giovanna Lombardi (Co-PI). Amount to Participant/KCL: €363,586 (£287,233). Mar 2015 – Feb 2019.
King's College London Institutional Grants currently held (chronological order)
2017-2019 KHP Development Challenge Fund (R170501). Diagnostic and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and aptamers against Candidalysin toxin. Applicants: Julian Naglik (PI), Selvam Thavaraj (Co-PI), Jonathan Richardson (Co-PI), Jemima Ho (Co-PI). £78,100.
2017-2019 KCL Dental Institute Seed funding. Identification of cytolytic peptide toxins in human pathogenic fungi. Applicant: Julian Naglik (PI), Jonathan Richardson (Co-PI), Oliver Bader (Co-PI) and Toni Gabaldon (Co-PI). Amount to PI: £49,732
Equipment Grants currently held (chronological order)
2015-2020 Wellcome Trust Equipment grant: 108461/Z/15/Z. 3D Volume Serial Block Face Imaging Facility. Roland Fleck (PI), Julian Naglik (Multi-User Equipment grant; Co-applicant with seven other PIs). Amount to KCL: £602,744. Aug 2015 – Aug 2020. Equipment access only.
PhD Studentship Grants currently held (chronological order)
2017-2021 Crick-KCL PhD studentship. Protein Kinase C pathway activation by a newly-discovered fungal toxin. Applicants: Julian Naglik (PI), Peter Parker (Co-PI). £18,000.
2016-2020 KCL Dental Institute PhD studentship. Characterisation of EGFR signalling induced by a novel fungal cytolytic peptide toxin. Applicant: Julian Naglik (PI). £15,000.
Consumable Grants Currently held (chronological order)
2017-2019 Rosetrees Trust (M680). Critical role for purinergic receptors in Candida albicans infection. Applicants: Jemima Ho (PI), Julian Naglik (Co-PI). £20,000
Activities

ETOX2019
Postdoctoral scientist Nessim Kichik from The Naglik Lab updates ETOX2019 on the activities and structure of candidalysin in his poster.
News
Julian Naglik among 65 Fellows elected to the American Academy of Microbiology
The American Academy of Microbiology (Academy) has elected Professor Julian Naglik and 64 peers to the Class of 2024.

Projects

Candida pathogenicity - candidalysin
Deaths per annum from fungal infections are greater than the global mortality due to malaria or breast cancer and are similar to deaths due to tuberculosis. Despite this, the mechanisms that promote fungal disease are largely unknown. The Naglik Lab recently identified the candidalysins, a family of peptide toxins produced by pathogenic Candida spp. (the causative agents of thrush). This discovery has significantly advanced the understanding of fungal pathogenesis, as human pathogenic fungi were not known to possess such toxins. The candidalysins are critical for the ability of these fungi to cause tissue damage and this project aims to determine the mechanisms by which the candidalysins promote fungal disease.

Candida immunity
Candida pathogens activate epithelial cells that drive the induction of protective innate immune responses. Epithelial activation occurs via the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway. This leads to the activation of AP-1 transcription factors, cytokine production, and the subsequent recruitment of innate immune cells. This project aims to determine the importance of EGFR and MAPK signalling pathways in the protection against Candida infections.
Publications
Awards
Major Research Grants currently held (chronological order)
2019-2024 Wellcome Trust Investigator Award (214229_Z_18_Z_). Fungal peptide toxins in pathogenicity and immunity. Applicant: Julian Naglik (PI). Amount to PI: £2,076,915.
2017-2022 National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA). R01 MERIT Award (R37-DE022550). Host and Fungal Regulation of Type 17 Immunity to Oral Candidiasis. Applicants: Sarah Gaffen (PI), Julian Naglik (Co-PI). Amount to Co-PI: $756,888.
2017-2022 National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre award to King’s College London (IS-BRC-1215-20006). Total: £5,773,526. Co-PI with 50 applicants. Programme: Oral Fungal Infections. Amount to PI: ~£500,000. April 1st 2017 – March 31st 2022.
2016-2020 Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Project grant. BB/N014677/1. Candidalysins: Mechanistic function of a novel family of fungal peptide toxins. Applicants: Julian Naglik (PI), Jonathan Richardson (Co-Investigator) and Bernhard Hube (Project Partner). Amount to PI: £486,768. July 2016 – June 2020.
2015-2019 EU H2020. Project grant: 643558. EMI-TB (Eliciting mucosal immunity in tuberculosis). Juraj Ivanji (PI), Julian Naglik (Co-PI), Giovanna Lombardi (Co-PI). Amount to Participant/KCL: €363,586 (£287,233). Mar 2015 – Feb 2019.
King's College London Institutional Grants currently held (chronological order)
2017-2019 KHP Development Challenge Fund (R170501). Diagnostic and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and aptamers against Candidalysin toxin. Applicants: Julian Naglik (PI), Selvam Thavaraj (Co-PI), Jonathan Richardson (Co-PI), Jemima Ho (Co-PI). £78,100.
2017-2019 KCL Dental Institute Seed funding. Identification of cytolytic peptide toxins in human pathogenic fungi. Applicant: Julian Naglik (PI), Jonathan Richardson (Co-PI), Oliver Bader (Co-PI) and Toni Gabaldon (Co-PI). Amount to PI: £49,732
Equipment Grants currently held (chronological order)
2015-2020 Wellcome Trust Equipment grant: 108461/Z/15/Z. 3D Volume Serial Block Face Imaging Facility. Roland Fleck (PI), Julian Naglik (Multi-User Equipment grant; Co-applicant with seven other PIs). Amount to KCL: £602,744. Aug 2015 – Aug 2020. Equipment access only.
PhD Studentship Grants currently held (chronological order)
2017-2021 Crick-KCL PhD studentship. Protein Kinase C pathway activation by a newly-discovered fungal toxin. Applicants: Julian Naglik (PI), Peter Parker (Co-PI). £18,000.
2016-2020 KCL Dental Institute PhD studentship. Characterisation of EGFR signalling induced by a novel fungal cytolytic peptide toxin. Applicant: Julian Naglik (PI). £15,000.
Consumable Grants Currently held (chronological order)
2017-2019 Rosetrees Trust (M680). Critical role for purinergic receptors in Candida albicans infection. Applicants: Jemima Ho (PI), Julian Naglik (Co-PI). £20,000
Activities

ETOX2019
Postdoctoral scientist Nessim Kichik from The Naglik Lab updates ETOX2019 on the activities and structure of candidalysin in his poster.
News
Julian Naglik among 65 Fellows elected to the American Academy of Microbiology
The American Academy of Microbiology (Academy) has elected Professor Julian Naglik and 64 peers to the Class of 2024.

Group lead
Contact us
Professor Julian Naglik
Centre for Host Micriobiome Interactions
Hodgkin Building
Guy's Campus