Fimbriae are the best-studied bacterial colonization factors. They are of paramount importance in bacterial pathogenesis and microbial ecology. Due to the advent of new and powerful techniques, an impressive amount of information has been accumulated on these important surface organelles over the last decade. The first book of its kind, Fimbriae brings together into one volume the state of the art of this very active field. Internationally recognized researchers give both a horizontal and lateral approach to fimbriology. Selected types of fimbriae are extensively reviewed and fundamental questions such as evolution, control or regulation, biogenesis, bacteria-host interaction, and fimbriae-based vaccines are examined.
Biography
Per Klemm, Ph.D., D.Sc., is Professor at the Department of Microbiology, Technical University of Denmark, located outside Copenhagen. Dr. Klemm graduated in 1976 from the University of Copenhagen, with a M.Sc. degree in biochemistry, and he obtained his Ph.D. in 1979. In 1986, he received a D.Sc. degree from the University of Copenhagen. After doing post-doctoral work at the Department of Biochemical Genetics, University of Copenhagen, and at the Max-Planck Institute for Immunobiology in Freiburg, Germany, he was appointed an Assistant Professor of Microbiology at the Technical University of Denmark in 1982. He became Associate Professor of Microbiology in 1983 and Professor in 1988. Dr. Klemm has been the recipient of research grants from the Danish Research Councils, The Carlsberg Foundation, and the World Health Organization. He has published more than 50 research papers and reviews and has presented numerous invited lectures at international meetings and universities. His current major research interests include molecular biology of fimbriae and vaccine development.
