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