A framework for microbiome science in public health.
Wilkinson JE, Franzosa EA, Everett C, Li C, Hu FB, Wirth DF, Song M, Chan AT, Rimm E, Garrett WS, Huttenhower C.
Nat Med. 2021 Apr 05. PMID: 33820996
Richard Pearson Strong Professor of Infectious Disease
Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Protozoan parasites remain major causes of disease in developing countries throughout the world, yet little is known about the biology or molecular biology of these organisms. The long term goal of this work is to understand basic molecular mechanisms in protozoan parasites with the goal of discovering and applying parasite specific interventions.
The approach my laboratory has taken is to develop methods for molecular genetic manipulation of protozoan parasites in order to begin functional analysis of genes important for parasite virulence, with an emphasis of mechanisms of drug resistance in parasites. Drug resistance poses a particularly difficult problem in developing countries where newer chemotherapeutic agents are often unavailable or too expensive for routine use. Drug resistance is particularly acute in malaria where resistant parasites have spread throughout the endemic world.
Recent evidence from my laboratory and from several other groups worldwide has suggested that a major mechanism of drug resistance in protozoan parasites may be through the expression of a P-glycoprotein type molecule encoded by a multi-drug resistance gene. Genes related to mammalian multi-drug resistance genes have been identified in several protozoan parasites and overexpression of these genes is associated with drug resistance. The immediate goal of the research is to test the hypothesis that these mdr-like genes are indeed the cause of drug resistance in protozoan parasites. This work has been initiated in the Leishmania parasite where my laboratory has previously developed a transfection system, and thus the role of the Leishmania enriettii mdr-like genes can be directly tested.
In parallel, my laboratory has recently developed an analogous transfection system for the malaria parasite. By analyzing these two protozoan systems in parallel, one where the molecular tools are readily available and the other in which drug resistant parasites represent a major and immediate threat to world health, I hope both to understand the mechanism of drug resistance in protozoan parasites and to use this information to develop new approaches to either preventing or reversing drug resistance in these organisms.
Executive Assistant: Jessica Gard, jgard@hsph.harvard.edu
Wilkinson JE, Franzosa EA, Everett C, Li C, Hu FB, Wirth DF, Song M, Chan AT, Rimm E, Garrett WS, Huttenhower C.
Nat Med. 2021 Apr 05. PMID: 33820996
Yang T, Ottilie S, Istvan ES, Godinez-Macias KP, Lukens AK, Baragaña B, Campo B, Walpole C, Niles JC, Chibale K, Dechering KJ, Llinás M, Lee MCS, Kato N, Wyllie S, McNamara CW, Gamo FJ, Burrows J, Fidock DA, Goldberg DE, Gilbert IH, Wirth DF, Winzeler EA.
Trends Parasitol. 2021 Feb 26. PMID: 33648890
Sy M, Badiane AS, Deme AB, Gaye A, Ndiaye T, Fall FB, Siddle KJ, Dieye B, Ndiaye YD, Diallo MA, Diongue K, Seck MC, Ndiaye IM, Cissé M, Gueye AB, Sène D, Dieye Y, Souané T, MacInnis B, Volkman SK, Wirth DF, Ndiaye D.
Malar J. 2021 Feb 19. 20(1):103. PMID: 33608006
Gillette MA, Mani DR, Uschnig C, Pellé KG, Madrid L, Acácio S, Lanaspa M, Alonso P, Valim C, Carr SA, Schaffner SF, MacInnis B, Milner DA, Bassat Q, Wirth DF.
Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Feb 03. PMID: 33534888
Kayode AT, Ajogbasile FV, Akano K, Uwanibe JN, Oluniyi PE, Eromon PJ, Folarin OA, Sowunmi A, Wirth DF, Happi CT.
Sci Rep. 2021 Jan 12. 11(1):471. PMID: 33436791
Chaudhury S, MacGill RS, Early AM, Bolton JS, King CR, Locke E, Pierson T, Wirth DF, Neafsey DE, Bergmann-Leitner ES.
Vaccine. 2021 Feb 05. 39(6):968-975. PMID: 33431225
Sharma AI, Shin SH, Bopp S, Volkman SK, Hartl DL, Wirth DF.
PLoS Genet. 2020 12. 16(12):e1009266. PMID: 33370279
Kayode AT, Akano K, Ajogbasile FV, Uwanibe JN, Oluniyi PE, Bankole BE, Eromon PJ, Sowunmi A, Folarin OA, Volkman SK, McInnis B, Sabeti P, Wirth DF, Happi CT.
Int J Parasitol. 2021 Mar. 51(4):301-310. PMID: 33359205
Daniels RF, Chenet S, Rogier E, Lucchi N, Herman C, Pierre B, Lemoine JF, Boncy J, Wirth DF, Chang MA, Udhayakumar V, Volkman SK.
Malar J. 2020 Oct 23. 19(1):379. PMID: 33097045
Dewasurendra RL, Baniecki ML, Schaffner S, Siriwardena Y, Moon J, Doshi R, Gunawardena S, Daniels RF, Neafsey D, Volkman S, Chandrasekharan NV, Wirth DF, Karunaweera ND.
Malar J. 2020 Sep 21. 19(1):342. PMID: 32958025
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