Principal Investigator Sebastian Lourido
Project Website http://louridolab.wi.mit.edu/
The Lourido Lab is interested in the molecular events that enable apicomplexan parasites to remain widespread and deadly infectious agents. These single-celled eukaryotes comprise a phylum of organisms that parasitize diverse animal hosts. Many important human pathogens belong to this group, including the causative agents of malaria (Plasmodium spp.), cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium spp.), and toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii). We use T. gondii to model features conserved throughout the phylum, such as their reliance on calcium signaling to regulate motility. We combine several approaches that span phospho-proteomics, chemical-genetics, and genome editing to investigate the unique biology of these organisms. Our work seeks to expand our understanding of eukaryotic diversity and identify specific features that can be targeted to treat parasite infections.