Faculty of Infectious Diseases

Broad base of ecological research interests that involves the study of species interactions in nearshore, estuarine, and marsh environments, with particular emphasis on quantitative measures of impacts of non-indigenous species on native biota in invaded communities. Interest in parasite and disease ecology is rooted in understanding environmental determinants of parasite prevalence and triggers of disease onset and outbreaks, as well as how parasites and disease affect populations and community structure.

Many diseases are vectored by blood-feeding arthropods, which modify the conditions of pathogen transmission as a result of antihemostatic and immunomodulatory activities in their saliva. Seek to characterize these activities and the specific components involved, with the ultimate goal of developing novel strategies for interrupting disease transmission.

Laboratory works on the immunology of human schistosomiasis, primarily in relationship to immune mechanisms of resistance to reinfection and to a lesser extent in regard to immune mechanisms related to subtle and severe morbidity due to this worm infection of 200 million people. Is also developing and will direct a new effort, the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (SCORE) in support of schistosomiasis control programs.

Studies the immune response of bony fishes (teleosts) using the common protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis as a model system. Laboratory utilizes molecular genetic and biological approaches to study the expression and function of parasite and host genes that are relevant to infection and immunity.

Strategy is to search for metabolic pathways in parasites that may be essential for their survival but may not find an equivalent counterpart in the host. Currently efforts are concentrated on the mechanisms by which pH and calcium homeostasis are maintained by different trypanosomatids (T. cruzi, T. brucei, and Leishmania sp.) and malaria parasites (P. falciparum, P. berghei) and more specifically in the biochemical and molecular characterization of a new organelle that we have discovered and named the acidocalcisome.

Laboratory studies how environmental cues influence cell behavior in animals. The main focus is to understand how extracellular signals influence cell fate decisions during embryogenesis, using zebrafish as a model system. Also interested in how differentiated cells respond to their environment. Toward that end, has established collaborations with laboratorties in the School of Veterinary Medicine to establish zebrafish as a model for studying infectious diseases.

Research focuses on T-cell and B-cell responses in bony fish to infection by the protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, a common, wide-spread pathogen of fish. Molecular genetic and biological approaches are used to study the expression and function of parasite and host genes.

Use of models and empirical studies to investigate effects of anthropogenic land use change and climate change on the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases, particularly vector-borne multi-host pathogens (e.g. Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania spp. ). Additional research interests include: 1) evaluating effects of parasites/pathogens of keystone species on ecosystem function, 2) understanding how infectious diseases interact with other population regulatory processes such as predation, resource availability, and competition  3)  wildlife pathology and diseases of Neotropical wildlife.

Research in the Hajduk laboratory is focused on the molecular biology and biochemistry of African trypanosomes. Ongoing studies address the mechanism and function of RNA editing and the role of human innate immunity in controlling parasite infection.

Laboratory employs bioinformatics and receptor cross-talk analysis to examine how parasite expressed molecules induce anti-inflammatory signaling and maturation in antigen presenting cells. Also working on vaccines for schistosomiasis, including field testing of the vaccines in China.

Interested in all aspects of wildlife disease, particularly how pathogens affect wildlife populations, communities and ecosystems and primarily with an applied perspective. Aim to integrate ecological principle to inform the fields of conservation medicine and wildlife disease investigation.

Primary laboratory research focus is to measure, understand, and solve the problems presented by drug-resistant parasites. This is done by combining clinical, biological, computational, and molecular approaches.

Laboratory is interested in parasite genomics and the biology of genome evolution. Approach is to apply molecular, computational and phylogenetic tools to the analysis of parasite genomes. Projects include the development of tools for data mining, comparative genomics and assessing the phylogenetic distribution of genes.

Research focus includes the maintenance and transmission of vector-borne viruses, ecology of infectious diseases, host-parasite interactions, and the molecular epidemiology of viruses.

Molecular cell biology and discovery of drugs against the trypanosomatids Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania species.

Research in laboratory focuses on defining immunoprotective and immunopathogenic mechanisms in malarial infection during pregnancy. Conduct human studies in malaria-endemic western Kenya and also use mouse models and a cell culture system to characterize the maternal-fetal interaction during infection.

Function of a novel phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C in Trypanosoma cruzi; Ion homeostasis in Toxoplasma gondii; targeting of the isoprenoid pathway of Toxoplasma gondii.

Using a systems biology approach to understanding the developmental regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis in the parasite Trypanosoma brucei.

Research with goals to isolate, identify, and control parasites that infect humans and animals and can be acquired via contaminated food and water. Currently the lab is focused in Cyclospora cayetanensis, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Neospora, and Toxoplasma.

Interested in the role of adhesion proteins of the DBL-domain superfamily. Members of this superfamily play diverse roles, functioning both as ligands for erythrocyte receptors during host red cell invasion, and as cytoadherence proteins during sequestration of the parasite throughout the vasculature.

Uses structural biology to answer key questions about protein structure-function relationships aimed at better understanding molecular mechanisms of enzymatic reactions and other cellular processes. Keenly interested in understanding the structural features of larger multiprotein complexes in terms of mechanism allosterics and signal transduction.

African trypanosomes evade the host immune response by regulated antigenic switching of its VSG coat. Current lab research focus concerns the function of a novel modified DNA base, called base J, on the regulation of telomeric VSG gene expression.

Research program focuses on parasite- and virus-host interactions in invertebrates. Emphasis of study is on characterization of virulence genes, their interactions with the invertebrate immune and endocrine systems, and their effects on pathogenesis and disease transmission.

Studying the cell and molecular biology of protozoan parasites responsible for AIDS associated opportunistic infections. Program spans from mechanistic studies on parasite biology to drug screening efforts.

Research is focused on examining the relationships between culture change, health, and human disease. Specific focus includes how educational and economic variation influences the distribution of infectious disease, specifically helminth parasites, and the ways in which frequent disease exposure impacts childhood growth and development.

The Tarleton laboratory focuses on immunity to the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. In addition to interests in the generation of specificity of T cell responses to T. cruzi, and the discovery of diagnostics and vaccines for this infection, the lab is involved in proteomic, transcriptomic and genomic analysis of this parasite and maintains a field project in Argentina dealing with human Chagas disease.

Research focuses on how cytokine signaling via Stat transcription factors contributes to host defense and autoimmunity.

Molecular details of the interactions between anthelmintic drugs and the nervous systems of parasitic nematodes. Understanding, diagnosing and combating drug resistance in these parasites.