| The objectives of the Unit are:
- to study the pathogenesis and basic biology of globally important pathogens, particularly by exploiting genome sequence data and allied high throughput post-genome technologies;
- to determine immune evasion mechanisms of certain disease agents;
- to decipher the genetic diversity of selected disease agents in natural populations and to determine its epidemiological impact; and
- to develop practical applications for improved diagnosis, drug design and vaccine development.
Infectious disease agents that are particularly relevant include: herpes and blue tongue viruses; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Helicobacter pylori; Campylobacter jejuni; Clostridium diffi cile; Yersinia species; the malaria parasites; Leishmania; American and African trypanosomes; Entamoeba species; freeliving amoebae, and Blastocystis.
Overseas collaborations are worldwide. Staff have expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, microarray analysis, virology, bacteriology, protozoology and molecular immunology.
Current research includes:
- deciphering the genome sequences of C. jejuni, Cl. diffi cile, Yersinia pestis, Trypanosoma cruzi, Entamoeba histolytica and the malaria parasite, coupled with the application of novel mutagenesis strategies for the systematic analysis of gene function from these pathogens;
- determination of the mechanisms of infection and transmission of the lymphotropic herpes viruses (HHV-6 and HHV-8) and the association of HHV-6 and AIDS in childhood HHV-8 and Kaposi's sarcoma;
- the role of immune evasion in parasites, bacteria and viruses including: scrutiny of the T. brucei genome sequence for histone acetylation and telomere loci involved in antigenic variation, population genetics approaches to identify P. falciparum vaccine candidates, analysis of repeat sequences responsible phase variation in C. jejuni and the identification of novel virusencoded chemokines and chemokine receptors in herpes virus;
- a range of studies on the genetic diversity of parasites, bacteria and viruses including molecular characterisation of subgroups of E. histolytica , Dientamoeba and Blastocystis, the development of molecular methods for taxonomic and epidemiological studies of Leishmania donovani , the genetic structure of P. falciparum in different populations including highly endemic African populations, comparative genomics of Campylobacter and Yersinia species using DNA microarrays and trimolecular complex variation in HHV-6;
- practical applications of basic research include the development of blue tongue virus-like-particle antigen delivery systems for the production of extant vaccines; the identification of drug targets such as signal transduction pathways in P. falciparum , phospholipids hydroperoxide enzymes in T. cruzi and the development of broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug nitazoxanide action in Entamoeba, Giardia; Cryptosporidium and susceptible helminths; the development of bacteriophage technology for the identification of rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis and the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis disease.
The School is committed to the improvement of global health through
its research and study programmes.
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The range of expertise available here means that we can do everything from studying the basic biology of an organism, through evaluating potential drug targets, to testing a new drug both in the laboratory and in field trials - something that I find particularly attractive.
