Malaria parasite-infected red blood cells: a renovator’s dream

Summary This project will study host cell remodeling and key virulence determinants in P. falciparum, P. vivax and P. knowlesi both in mature erythrocytes and reticulocytes.

Project Details

Are you interested in how and why malaria parasites cause pathology and death? The blood stages of Plasmodium are responsible for disease symptoms, but the symptoms and virulence differ for different species of the malaria parasite. This reflects the fact that different species of plasmodium adopt different strategies to ensure survival in the bloodstream. It is becoming clear, however, that in each case they do so by altering the properties of the erythrocytes they infect. This project will study host cell remodeling and key virulence determinants in P. falciparum, P. vivax and P. knowlesi both in mature erythrocytes and reticulocytes. In work leading to this project we have developed new imaging methods to examine the organisation of infected erythrocytes at the highest possible resolution. The work combines molecular and cell biology, biophysical techniques, including generation and use of microfluidic chips, and microscopy techniques such as super-resolution light microscopy and electron microscopy to elucidate the ways in which parasites subvert their host cells. The work aims to try to find ways to interfere with this process and thus combat virulence.