Professor John Kelly BSc PhD
- Room 326A
- LSHTM
- Keppel Street
- London
- WC1E 7HT
- T: +44 (0) 20 7927 2330
- F: +44 (0) 20 7636 8739
Research area: The molecular biology of parasitic protozoa
My lab focuses on four main areas:
- The mechanisms of oxidative defence in trypanosomes
- Mechanisms of drug action and resistance
- Understanding the pathogenesis of trypanosome infections
- Chromosome structure and organisation
Funding: The Wellcome Trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Affiliation
Teaching
As part of the Masters course 'Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases', I teach on a 5 week study module entitled 'Advanced Training in Molecular Biology' . The module is built round an appropriate central research theme and offers training in laboratory skills, bioinformatics and scientific writing.
Research
The parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei are responsible for two major tropical infections, Chagas disease and African trypanosomiasis, respectively. These diseases represent a major public health problem in regions of the world least able to deal with the associated economic burden. Advances by ourselves and others have led to the development of a wide range of genetic tools that can be used to address fundamental biological questions associated with these important pathogens. In addition, the recent completion of the trypanosomatid genome projects, together with major advances in imaging technology, is providing a research framework where rapid progress can be expected. We are exploiting these new approaches and opportunities to gain greater understanding of the mechanisms of drug action and resistance, disease pathogenesis and genome inheritance. In collaboration with biologists, biochemists and organic chemists, we have validated a number of parasite drug targets and identified several lead compounds that show promise in terms of therapeutic development. This multidisciplinary approach, which brings together of both academic and industrial partners, is now widely seen as the way ahead to provide better treatments for these previously ‘Neglected Diseases’.
Research areas
- Drug discovery and development
- Drug resistance
- Parasites
- Trypanosomes
Disciplines
- Biochemistry
- Cell biology
- Genomics
- Molecular biology
Disease and Health Conditions
- African trypanosomiasis
- Chagas Disease
- Infectious disease
- Tropical diseases
Regions
- Latin America & Caribbean (developing only)
- Sub-Saharan Africa (developing only)
Countries
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Mexico
- Venezuela, RB
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Selected publications
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Centromere-associated topoisomerase activity in bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei.
Obado, S.O.; Bot, C.; Echeverry, M.C.; Bayona, J.C.; Alvarez, V.E.; Taylor, M.C.; Kelly, J.M.;
Nucleic Acids Res, 2011; 39(3):1023-33
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Novel Lipophilic Acetohydroxamic Acid Derivatives Based on Conformationally Constrained Spiro Carbocyclic 2,6-Diketopiperazine Scaffolds with Potent Trypanocidal Activity
Fytas, C.; Zoidis, G.; Tzoutzas, N.; Taylor, M.C.; Fytas, G.; Kelly, J.M.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2011; 54(14):5250-5254
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Design, synthesis, and trypanocidal activity of new aminoadamantane derivatives
Papanastasiou, I.; Tsotinis, A.; Kolocouris, N.; Prathalingam, S.R.; Kelly, J.M.
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2008; 51(5):1496-1500
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A mechanism for cross-resistance to nifurtimox and benznidazole in trypanosomes.
Wilkinson, S.R.; Taylor, M.C.; Horn, D.; Kelly, J.M.; Cheeseman, I.;
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2008; 105(13):5022-7
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Repetitive DNA is associated with centromeric domains in Trypanosoma brucei but not Trypanosoma cruzi.
Obado, S.O.; Bot, C.; Nilsson, D.; Andersson, B.; Kelly, J.M.;
Genome Biol, 2007; 8(3):R37
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Evidence on the chromosomal location of centromeric DNA in Plasmodium falciparum from etoposide-mediated topoisomerase-II cleavage.
Kelly, J.M.; McRobert, L.; Baker, D.A.;
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2006; 103(17):6706-11
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Functional mapping of a trypanosome centromere by chromosome fragmentation identifies a 16-kb GC-rich transcriptional "strand-switch" domain as a major feature.
Obado, S.O.; Taylor, M.C.; Wilkinson, S.R.; Bromley, E.V.; Kelly, J.M.;
Genome Res, 2005; 15(1):36-43
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Vitamin C biosynthesis in trypanosomes: A role for the glycosome.
Wilkinson, S.R.; Prathalingam, S.R.; Taylor, M.C.; Horn, D.; Kelly, J.M.;
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2005; 102 :11645-11650
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