Research Summary

Brief Theme of Laboratory

Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular protozoan parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, infects over one billion people worldwide with severe and life-threatening consequences for developing fetuses and immunocompromised individuals. It is, in fact, a common etiology of parasitic abortion in livestock and has profound public health implications due to its potential for zoonotic transmission. Toxoplasma utilizes sophisticated mechanisms to replicate in the host cells and modify them to acquire nutrients and promote persistence. Its profound ability to infect any nucleated cell makes it one of the most successful parasites. The laboratory aims to understand the pathobiology of the parasite including its ability to co-opt host signaling pathway and molecular mechanism underlying stage differentiation.

Major Research Area

1. Elucidating the molecular basis for Toxoplasma gondii survival and multiplication in the host, mediated through host-parasite cross-talk.
2. Mechanism and regulation of transcription and associated functions underlying Toxoplasma stage differentiation.