Dr Yvonne Adams

Research Interests

The adhesion of infected erythrocytes to endothelial cells is a phenomenon exhibited by P. falciparum parasites. This ability to sequester is thought to aid their survival by avoiding splenic clearance and shielding them from the immune system. Another adhesive phenomenon is that of rosetting, whereby infected erythrocytes bind to non-infected erythrocytes, however, rosettes are absent from the peripheral blood stream suggesting that they also undergo “classical” sequestration.

To date, the parasite derived surface protein PfEMP1 has been demonstrated to bind to a variety of host endothelial receptors such as CSA, ICAM-1 and CD36 via specific domains of the PfEMP1 molecule. My interests lie in identifying novel receptors to which infected erythrocytes may bind and to determine the domains responsible. Currently I am investigating the adhesive interactions of both rosetting and non-rosetting strains for their ability to bind to various receptors under physiological flow conditions in the hope to further understand the adhesive process, and its links with pathology.

CV

July 2010 – 2013:

  • University of Edinburgh, UK – Prof. Alex Rowe

2009:

  • London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

2007–2008:

  • University of Leicester, UK

Degrees

2002–2006:

  • PhD Parasitology, University of Heidelberg, Germany/QIMR, Brisbane, Australia

2001–2002:

  • MSc Applied Parasitology Medical Entomology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK

1995–2000:

  • BSc(Hons) Parasitology, University of Glasgow, UK

Industrial

2000–2001:

  • Aventis Crop Science – Leonardo da Vinci Industrial Scholarship, Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany

Publications

Adams Y, Khunrae P, Higgins M, Ghumra A, Rowe JA. 2014.

Rosetting Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes bind to human brain microvascular endothelial cells in vitro, demonstrating a dual adhesion phenotype mediated by distinct P. falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 domains.
Infection and Immunity 82:949-959. DOI: 10.1128/IAI.01233-13. PDF

Adams Y, Rowe JA. 2013.

The effect of anti-rosetting agents against malaria parasites under physiological flow conditions
PLoS ONE 16;8:e73999. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073999. PDF

Arman M, Adams Y, Lindergard G, Rowe JA. 2013.

A method for positive and negative selection of Plasmodium falciparum platelet-mediated clumping parasites and investigation of the role of CD36.
PLoS ONE 8: e55453. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0055453 PDF

Claessens A, Adams Y, Ghumra A, Lindergard G, Buchan C, Andisi C, Bull PC, Mok S, Gupta AP, Wang CW, Turner L, Arman M, Raza A, Bozdech Z, Rowe JA. 2012.

A subset of Group A-like var genes encode the malaria parasite ligands for binding to human brain endothelial cells.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences U S A 109:E1772-1781. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1120461109 PDF

Ghumra A, Semblat J-P, Ataide R, Kifude C, Adams Y, Claessens A, Anong DN, Bull PC, Fennell C, Arman M, Amambua-Ngwa A, Walther M, Conway DJ, Kassambara L, Doumbo O, Raza A, Rowe JA. 2012.

Induction of Strain-Transcending Antibodies Against Group A PfEMP1 Surface Antigens from Virulent Malaria Parasites.
PLoS Pathogens 8: e1002665.doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1002665 PDF

Adams Y, Schwartz-Albiez R, McCarthy JS, Andrews KT. 2007.

Effect of cytokine treatment on the in vitro expression of the P. falciparum adhesion receptor chondroitin-4-sulphate on the surface of human choriocarcinoma (BeWo) cells.
Parasitology Research 101(2):279-83

Schwartz-Albiez R, Adams Y, Von der Lieth W, Mischnick P, Andrews KT, Kirschfink M. 2007.

Regioselectively modified sulfated cellulose as prospective drug for treatment of malaria tropica.
Glycoconjugate Journal 24(1):57-65

Adams Y, Freeman C, Schwartz-Albiez R, Ferro V, Parish C, Andrews KT. 2006.

Inhibition of P. falciparum growth in vitro and adhesion to chondroitin sulfate A by the heparan sulfate mimetic PI-88 and other sulfated oligosaccharides.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 50(8): 2850-2

Dormeyer M, Adams Y, Kramer B, Chakravorty S, Tsuey Tse M, Pegoraro S, Whittaker L, Lanzer M, Craig A. 2006.

Rational Design of Anticytoadherence Inhibitors for Plasmodium falciparum Based on the Crystal Structure of Human Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1.
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 50(2): 724-730

Adams Y, Smith S, Schwartz-Albiez R, Andrews KT. 2005.

Carrageenans inhibit the in vitro growth of Plasmodium falciparum and cytoadhesion to CD36.
Parasitology Research October 97(4): 290-4

Andrews KT, Adams Y, Viebig NK, Lanzer M, Schwartz-Albiez R. 2005.

Adherence of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes to CHO-745 cells and inhibition of binding by protein A in the presence of serum.
International Journal of Parasitology September; 35(10):1127-34

Andrews KT, Klatt N, Adams Y, Mischnick P, Schwartz-Albiez R. 2005.

Inhibition of chondroitin-4-sulfate-specific adhesion of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes by sulfated polysaccharides.
Infection and Immunity July; 73(7):4288-94