Prof. Jeroen P J Saeij

The primary research interest of Saeij's Laboratory is to understand how intracellular parasites exploit and manipulate the host cells in which they live to ensure their survival, replication and transmission and hence their success. The experimental model is Toxoplasma gondii, considered the most successful protozoan parasite of warm-blooded animals. The focus of Saeij's laboratory over the last years has been to identify genes of Toxoplasma that determine virulence, host genes and pathways that determine resistance/susceptibility, and to characterize their specific interactions. To achieve this we use a combination of genomics, biochemistry, genetics, microscopy, immunology and computational tools.

Current projects in the lab:
(1) Pathogenesis: what properties make certain strains more virulent than others and what proteins are involved?
(2) How does Toxoplasma co-opt host-cell gene expression and how does this differ between strains?
(3) How does Toxoplasma modulate the NF-?B signaling pathway?
(4) How can we use Toxoplasma whole genome data to understand its population biology?
(5) What are the host genes and pathways that influence resistance or susceptibility to Toxoplasma?


(summary updated 11/2011)