Identifying and Characterising Developmental Regulators of Human Infectious Leishmania
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Biology
Abstract
Species of Leishmania threaten 350 million people worldwide on four continents. The World Health Organisation estimates 12 million are currently infected and over 1 million new cases occur annually. No vaccine currently exists and available Leishmaniasis treatments are often overwhelmed by acute epidemics that are increasing in occurrence and severity. New treatments and vaccines are desperately needed and the UK government has committed to the World Health Organisation's recent call to further support Neglected Tropical Disease research.
The single-cell Leishmania parasite transforms into many different forms during its lifecycle to adapt to very different hosts; moving from mammals to sandflies and back to mammals by sandfly bites. Only Leishmania parasites of certain lifecycle stage forms can infect and survive in humans. Major changes to the parasite's appearance, metabolism and virulence proteins occur during these transitions that enable them to survive. Leishmania gene expression relies almost exclusively upon mRNA regulation. In response to changes in the environment, specific parasite proteins bind mRNAs and target them for protein production to guide and promote adaptation. Proteins that control the changes these parasites go through enable them to adapt, survive in and infect humans. Such proteins are essential for the virulence and spread of the Leishmania parasite infection. By characterising such regulatory proteins and their downstream targets, we can find out what mechanisms the Leishmania parasites use to control their lifecycle changes. If we can isolate and stop control panel "Regulator" proteins, we can block the parasite from establishing an infection in humans. Significant findings would provide insight to Leishmaniasis research as well as diseases caused by related parasites, Chagas Disease and African Trypanosomiasis.
Leishmania proteins are different from human proteins; therefore we can exploit these differences to target Leishmania-specific developmental regulators, block their function and block the parasites' ability to invade. Unfortunately, no Leishmania regulator proteins have yet been identified.
I propose to find regulators of Leishmania spp. lifecycle changes, identify how they function, and test whether any are essential for parasite survival. Essential Regulators could serve as potential drug targets to block Leishmania parasite infection.
The single-cell Leishmania parasite transforms into many different forms during its lifecycle to adapt to very different hosts; moving from mammals to sandflies and back to mammals by sandfly bites. Only Leishmania parasites of certain lifecycle stage forms can infect and survive in humans. Major changes to the parasite's appearance, metabolism and virulence proteins occur during these transitions that enable them to survive. Leishmania gene expression relies almost exclusively upon mRNA regulation. In response to changes in the environment, specific parasite proteins bind mRNAs and target them for protein production to guide and promote adaptation. Proteins that control the changes these parasites go through enable them to adapt, survive in and infect humans. Such proteins are essential for the virulence and spread of the Leishmania parasite infection. By characterising such regulatory proteins and their downstream targets, we can find out what mechanisms the Leishmania parasites use to control their lifecycle changes. If we can isolate and stop control panel "Regulator" proteins, we can block the parasite from establishing an infection in humans. Significant findings would provide insight to Leishmaniasis research as well as diseases caused by related parasites, Chagas Disease and African Trypanosomiasis.
Leishmania proteins are different from human proteins; therefore we can exploit these differences to target Leishmania-specific developmental regulators, block their function and block the parasites' ability to invade. Unfortunately, no Leishmania regulator proteins have yet been identified.
I propose to find regulators of Leishmania spp. lifecycle changes, identify how they function, and test whether any are essential for parasite survival. Essential Regulators could serve as potential drug targets to block Leishmania parasite infection.
Technical Summary
My aim is to use Leishmania mexicana as a cultured, genetically manipulable model to isolate and characterise post-transcriptional regulators essential to Leishmania spp. differentiation and virulence. Host immune cells provide the environmental cues, and signal the parasites to differentiate to virulent amastigote stage human infective forms. Factors that regulate and promote this differentiation enable the cells to adapt to the new host environment, survive and spread. Essential regulators may serve as potential drug targets as Leishmania spp. proteomes are very divergent from human.
I will initiate the investigation by uv-crosslinking Leishmania parasites of different stages and performing polysomal gradients to isolate putative mRNPs that associate with the translational machinery and are unique to human-infective lifecycle stages. Non-basal polysomal RNA-binding proteins will present potential trans-regulators while stage-specific polysomal mRNAs present putative targets and virulence factors to investigate. In addition, I will tag UTRs of known virulence factors to trap associating RNA binding proteins and potential regulators. Candidate regulatory proteins will be epitope-tagged to immunoprecipitate associating proteins (IP) and RNAs (RNA IP); validating isolated protein:transcript interactions and novel mRNPs.
The effect of candidate regulators on target transcripts and differentiation will be genetically tested by ectopic overexpression and protein depletion methods. The regulation of associating transcripts will be examined for impact on the protein level using reporter:UTR constructs and antibodies to promising trans-regulators and transcript targets. To determine the location and requirements of protein:transcript associations I will use uv-crosslinking IP (CLiP) techniques.
I will build upon significant findings of this work and investigate homologous factors in Leishmania donovani parasites, causative agent of deadly visceral Leishmaniasis.
I will initiate the investigation by uv-crosslinking Leishmania parasites of different stages and performing polysomal gradients to isolate putative mRNPs that associate with the translational machinery and are unique to human-infective lifecycle stages. Non-basal polysomal RNA-binding proteins will present potential trans-regulators while stage-specific polysomal mRNAs present putative targets and virulence factors to investigate. In addition, I will tag UTRs of known virulence factors to trap associating RNA binding proteins and potential regulators. Candidate regulatory proteins will be epitope-tagged to immunoprecipitate associating proteins (IP) and RNAs (RNA IP); validating isolated protein:transcript interactions and novel mRNPs.
The effect of candidate regulators on target transcripts and differentiation will be genetically tested by ectopic overexpression and protein depletion methods. The regulation of associating transcripts will be examined for impact on the protein level using reporter:UTR constructs and antibodies to promising trans-regulators and transcript targets. To determine the location and requirements of protein:transcript associations I will use uv-crosslinking IP (CLiP) techniques.
I will build upon significant findings of this work and investigate homologous factors in Leishmania donovani parasites, causative agent of deadly visceral Leishmaniasis.
Planned Impact
TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE POTENTIAL:
The Leishmania-focused laboratories already in place in the Centre for Immunology and Infection (http://www.york.ac.uk/res/cii/) provide the perfect platform for immediate investigations. Significant findings from this research could be directly translated into potential treatments using in-house expertise of the CII. As a whole, this Centre provides an inspiring opportunity to impact drug target testing and witness application of research achievements.
The purpose of my proposed experiments is to yield trans-regulators and transcript targets that are essential to differentiation in Leishmania parasites and enable the parasite to infect, adapt and thrive within the human host immune cells. Since the majority of RNA binding proteins (potential trans-regulators) are not well conserved between these ancient eukaryotes and their human hosts, there is great potential to target Leishmania-specific virulence factors without dangerous side effects.
RESEARCH DIRECTIONS: The proposed isolation and characterization of post-transcriptional regulators of Leishmania differentiation during mammalian invasion will drive an investigation into novel factors that enable Leishmania infection. I will build upon the foundation of this initial research and explore the function of additional cofactors isolated by the study; including potential non-RNA binding regulators of this transition. It is highly likely that new virulence factors will be discovered and verified during this project and I will actively pursue the regulation of these. The mechanisms responsible for quorum and pH sensing in the parasite that trigger metacyclogenesis and differentiation have yet to be isolated, as well as many factors responsible for parasite-dependent manipulation of mammalian phagolysosomes. The directed aim of this research will be to isolate weaknesses in the parasite lifecycle and highlight potential drug targets to block transmission or efficiency of parasite infection. Regulators that coordinate the adaptation of these parasites to different host cells and promote parasite infection are critical to further understanding of this disease.
LOCAL POPULATIONS AT THREAT OF LEISHMANIASIS:
Leishmaniasis is the ninth largest disease burden amongst infectious diseases with WHO estimates of over a million new cases annually, killing 10-20% of them. 70-75% Leishmaniasis cutaneous infections occur in only 10 countries, and over 90% of visceral Leishmaniasis cases occur in only 6 countries. Over 70% of those infected are under 15 years of age. Despite over 100 years of effort, no vaccine is yet available and treatments are very limited. A vaccine should be possible as a single patient can only get Leishmaniasis once, as one infection conveys resistance against all other strains. Yet injection of killed Leishmania parasites does not convey immunity. There is an urgent need for a vaccine as epidemics often overwhelm available resources and treatments are limited and costly.
POLITICAL POLICY: Initiatives to specifically address the neglected tropical diseases have been proposed by WHO and undertaken by the international community, in particular the UK and USA. Many basic biomedical researchers in the Leishmaniasis community are immunologists. Those that have investigated Leishmania spp. development have done so primarily in the sandfly vector or in an axenic cultured environment, likely missing essential signaling factors present in vivo.
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY: Would benefit significantly from findings that not only impact human disease, but canine Leishmaniasis as well. Regulators of Leishmania differentiation have yet to be identified and present a tremendous opportunity, as they are likely to be parasite-specific and fundamental to survival during transmission. Over 80% of drug discoveries in the past 40 years from the US originated in government-funded academic research (Stevens et al., NEJM, Feb. 2011).
The Leishmania-focused laboratories already in place in the Centre for Immunology and Infection (http://www.york.ac.uk/res/cii/) provide the perfect platform for immediate investigations. Significant findings from this research could be directly translated into potential treatments using in-house expertise of the CII. As a whole, this Centre provides an inspiring opportunity to impact drug target testing and witness application of research achievements.
The purpose of my proposed experiments is to yield trans-regulators and transcript targets that are essential to differentiation in Leishmania parasites and enable the parasite to infect, adapt and thrive within the human host immune cells. Since the majority of RNA binding proteins (potential trans-regulators) are not well conserved between these ancient eukaryotes and their human hosts, there is great potential to target Leishmania-specific virulence factors without dangerous side effects.
RESEARCH DIRECTIONS: The proposed isolation and characterization of post-transcriptional regulators of Leishmania differentiation during mammalian invasion will drive an investigation into novel factors that enable Leishmania infection. I will build upon the foundation of this initial research and explore the function of additional cofactors isolated by the study; including potential non-RNA binding regulators of this transition. It is highly likely that new virulence factors will be discovered and verified during this project and I will actively pursue the regulation of these. The mechanisms responsible for quorum and pH sensing in the parasite that trigger metacyclogenesis and differentiation have yet to be isolated, as well as many factors responsible for parasite-dependent manipulation of mammalian phagolysosomes. The directed aim of this research will be to isolate weaknesses in the parasite lifecycle and highlight potential drug targets to block transmission or efficiency of parasite infection. Regulators that coordinate the adaptation of these parasites to different host cells and promote parasite infection are critical to further understanding of this disease.
LOCAL POPULATIONS AT THREAT OF LEISHMANIASIS:
Leishmaniasis is the ninth largest disease burden amongst infectious diseases with WHO estimates of over a million new cases annually, killing 10-20% of them. 70-75% Leishmaniasis cutaneous infections occur in only 10 countries, and over 90% of visceral Leishmaniasis cases occur in only 6 countries. Over 70% of those infected are under 15 years of age. Despite over 100 years of effort, no vaccine is yet available and treatments are very limited. A vaccine should be possible as a single patient can only get Leishmaniasis once, as one infection conveys resistance against all other strains. Yet injection of killed Leishmania parasites does not convey immunity. There is an urgent need for a vaccine as epidemics often overwhelm available resources and treatments are limited and costly.
POLITICAL POLICY: Initiatives to specifically address the neglected tropical diseases have been proposed by WHO and undertaken by the international community, in particular the UK and USA. Many basic biomedical researchers in the Leishmaniasis community are immunologists. Those that have investigated Leishmania spp. development have done so primarily in the sandfly vector or in an axenic cultured environment, likely missing essential signaling factors present in vivo.
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY: Would benefit significantly from findings that not only impact human disease, but canine Leishmaniasis as well. Regulators of Leishmania differentiation have yet to be identified and present a tremendous opportunity, as they are likely to be parasite-specific and fundamental to survival during transmission. Over 80% of drug discoveries in the past 40 years from the US originated in government-funded academic research (Stevens et al., NEJM, Feb. 2011).
Organisations
- University of York (Lead Research Organisation)
- Universidade de São Paulo (Collaboration)
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (Collaboration)
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF YORK (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL (Collaboration)
- University of Würzburg (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Pegine Walrad (Principal Investigator) | |
Daniel Paape (Researcher) |
Publications
Alves-Ferreira EVC
(2020)
Leishmania braziliensis prostaglandin F2a synthase impacts host infection.
in Parasites & vectors
Baker N
(2021)
Systematic functional analysis of Leishmania protein kinases identifies regulators of differentiation or survival.
in Nature communications
Bühlmann M
(2015)
NMD3 regulates both mRNA and rRNA nuclear export in African trypanosomes via an XPOI-linked pathway.
in Nucleic acids research
Carmichael S
(2021)
Variable bites and dynamic populations; new insights in Leishmania transmission
in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
De Pablos LM
(2016)
Developmental differentiation in Leishmania lifecycle progression: post-transcriptional control conducts the orchestra.
in Current opinion in microbiology
De Pablos LM
(2019)
The mRNA-bound Proteome of Leishmania mexicana: Novel Genetic Insight into an Ancient Parasite.
in Molecular & cellular proteomics : MCP
Farthing NE
(2017)
Simultaneous two-color imaging in digital holographic microscopy.
in Optics express
Ferreira TR
(2014)
Altered expression of an RBP-associated arginine methyltransferase 7 in Leishmania major affects parasite infection.
in Molecular microbiology
Description | Rare Diseases Day |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Increased awareness of Hospital workers and public regarding rare diseases present in the UK and the local researchers combating these diseases. |
URL | http://www.raredisease.org.uk/ |
Description | BBSRC Summer Studentship Award (Joint) |
Amount | £800 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of York |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2014 |
End | 09/2014 |
Description | BBSRC White Rose PhD Studentship |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of York |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2017 |
End | 09/2021 |
Description | Biology Department PhD Studentship |
Amount | £75,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of York |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2017 |
End | 09/2020 |
Description | Departmental pump priming |
Amount | £4,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of York |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2014 |
Description | FAPESP international student fellowship (Host - Joint) |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Universidade de São Paulo |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Brazil |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 06/2014 |
Description | Investigating molecular pathways of leishmanicidal natural products using parasite mutants |
Amount | £38,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of York |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 08/2020 |
Description | Investigating post Transcriptional Essential Gene Regulation In Leishmania (InTEGRL) |
Amount | £500,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/V031511/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2021 |
End | 06/2024 |
Description | Joint PhD Studentship through University of York CIDCATs |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2015 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | Lister Summer Studentship Award (Joint) |
Amount | £800 (GBP) |
Organisation | Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2014 |
End | 09/2014 |
Description | MRC GCRF Global Network to combat Neglected Tropical Diseases |
Amount | £8,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/P027989/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | New Investigator Pump Priming International collaborations |
Amount | $30,000 (USD) |
Organisation | São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Brazil |
Start | 10/2019 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Towards a global research network for the molecular pathological stratification of leishmaniasis. |
Amount | £600,281 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/P024661/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 03/2020 |
Description | Travel Fellowship to attend the CSHL course on STATISTICAL METHODS FOR FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS |
Amount | $750 (USD) |
Organisation | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 06/2014 |
End | 07/2014 |
Description | UK:Brazil Joint Centre Partnership in leishmaniasis |
Amount | £1,200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/S019472/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2019 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | University of York internal GCRF pump priming |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of York |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 12/2019 |
Title | Avidin linked Dynabeads |
Description | Materials for trapping candidate regulators that bind UTRs of known virulence factors in Leishmania spp. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Still in the process of optimisation. |
URL | http://www.lifetechnologies.com/us/en/home/brands/product-brand/dynal/streptavidin-coupled-dynabeads... |
Title | Barcoded knockout library of Leishmania mRBPome |
Description | Creation of a CRISPR-Cas9 barcoded knockout library of the Leishmania mRBPome |
Type Of Material | Cell line |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | PhD studentship creation of this library to screen functional contributions and essential role of mRNA binding proteins in Leishmania lifecycle progression, mammalian infection and virulence. |
Title | Improved gradients for separating Leishmania parasites |
Description | Improved gradients for separating specific lifecycle stages of Leishmania mexicana |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Able to more concisely separate large populations of cells into discreet lifecycle stages based upon relative size. |
Title | Minitron optimised uv-crosslinker for cells |
Description | An optimised crosslinker has been purchased and set up to covalently crosslink RNA binding proteins to mRNA in order to isolate RNA binding proteomes of different L.mexicana lifecycle stages. Mass spec analysis has been optimised and results look promising. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This machinery has provided us with ground-breaking technology for novel work toward my grant proposal's objectives. Results look very promising. |
Title | Quantitative FISH for cutaneous leishmaniasis investigation |
Description | Optimised protocol disseminated internationally for improved diagnostics and immunological response investigations. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Publication in submission, optimised protocol disseminated internationally for improved diagnostics and immunological response investigations. |
URL | https://leishpathnet.org/ |
Title | anti-GFP |
Description | anti-GFP antibody, essential for RNA immunoprecipitations to isolate potential mRNA targets of candidate regulators. |
Type Of Material | Antibody |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Anti-GFP Chromatin immunoprecipitations using this antibody have contributed to publications in other systems. |
Title | leishmaniac.org |
Description | This is a website providing specialised, optimised protocols necessary for those conducting research in Leishmania spp. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | It has made protocols available worldwide to Leishmaniasis researchers, promoting equality and opportunity in the field. |
URL | http://leishmaniac.org |
Title | pGemT UTRs |
Description | Vectors for transcription reaction to generate biotinylated RNAs that mimick UTRs and regulatory elements of known virulence factors. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This method has provided other labs with candidate regulators. |
Title | pSSU RBP-GFP Puro/Neo/HygroR |
Description | Constructs for Leishmania spp. that incorporate candidate RNA binding proteins (RBPs) into vector that produces GFP tag with Puromycin, Neomycin or Hygromycin resistance constitutively expressed. |
Type Of Material | Cell line |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Using cell lines to characterise function of RBP candidate regulators in relation to parasite differentiation capacity and infectivity in L.mexicana. Will examine RBP subcellular localisation, movement dynamics in response to stress and will isolate associating transcripts (candidate regulatory targets). |
URL | http://leishmaniac.org |
Title | Lin28 associating transcriptome |
Description | Isolated all transcripts which associate with the Lin28 proteins in Xenopus eggs and embryos. Assisted the bioinformatic analysis of the transcriptomes for a collaboration. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Completed the preliminary data toward a BBSRC grant application this year. (Named Co-I) |
Title | RNA binding proteome |
Description | We are generating the RNA binding proteome of different lifecycle stages of Leishmania spp. parasites. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Published in high impact journal for Molecular Proteomics. Integrated into the foremost database available to all international community; tritrypdb.org |
URL | https://tritrypdb.org/tritrypdb/ |
Title | T.brucei transcriptomic analyses |
Description | My Computational Biology student provided some exemplary analysis of several transcriptome sample sets. These will result in a publication in the near future. |
Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The results of her analyses will result in a publication in the near future. |
Description | Characterising the RNA binding proteins Lin28a and Lind 28b in Xenopus embryogenesis |
Organisation | University of York |
Department | Department of Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Isolated Lin28a and Lin28b associating RNAs via RNA immunoprecipitation for ion torrent sequencing. Transcriptome results corresponded well to the literature and preliminary molecular results from the collaborator's laboratory. Bioinformatic analyses revealed several viable candidates to investigate. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided the Xenopus embryos and antibodies. Preliminary molecular evidence. |
Impact | A BBSRC grant was submitted and received only excellent reviews. This was not successful, but we are seeking to complete the work towards a paper in the upcoming year. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Examining intracellular dynamics in swimming Leishmania parasites |
Organisation | University of York |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Fluorescent transgenic parasites, distinctly fluorescently-labelled macrophages. Genetic screen to isolate infection-deficient Leishmania spp. for investigation. |
Collaborator Contribution | Expertise in image capture and mathematical modeling of cellular movement. |
Impact | Preliminary movies and computer generated images of live Leishmania mexicana parasites swimming. We are recruiting PhD candidates to undertake this inter-disciplinary, collaborative project. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Identifying regulators of HASPB and SHERP |
Organisation | University of York |
Department | Department of Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Creation of trapping constructs, carrying out trapping experiments, identification and characterisation of candidate regulators. |
Collaborator Contribution | Antibodies, transgenic parasites with reporter constructs |
Impact | Offer from potential collaborator in France to build 3'UTR constructs to pursue collaboration. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | In vivo proximity labelling |
Organisation | University of Wurzburg |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Mentoring of an ERASMUS Master's student for 3 months to optimise in vivo labelling project. |
Collaborator Contribution | Securing and training of student, materials for project. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | In vivo sandfly lifecycle stage work |
Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
Department | Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Providing transgenic Leishmania cells of low passage which fluoresce distinctly at different lifecycle stages. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provide samples of Leishmania-infected sandfly tissues of different time progression to measure relative gene expression in vitro versus in vivo. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Investigating potential regulators of Trypanosoma brucei differentiation to human transmissible stages in tsetse flies |
Organisation | Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine |
Department | Department of Vector Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Bioinformatically characterised the transcriptomes of tsetse transmission-capable versus incapable T.brucei parasite strains to isolate top differentially-expressed mRNAs. Analysed data and co-designed genetic strategy and biochemical analyses of top regulator candidates identified in screen. Immunoprecipitated and identified interacting RNAs and proteins of top candidate which is a novel zinc finger protein necessary for differentiation to epimastigote stage. |
Collaborator Contribution | All parasite and tsetse fly associated work. Training and mentoring of PDRA, PhD and MRes students who contributed to this investigation. Transcriptomics from original samples. Presentation and manuscript preparation. |
Impact | Presentations at international parasitology conferences; BSP, Aberystwyth, 2018; KMCB, Woods Hole, 2019. Manuscript in preparation directed for high impact journal. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Investigating potential trans-regulators of the Leishmania mexicana lifecycle |
Organisation | University of York |
Department | Department of Chemistry |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provided the trans-regulator candidate proteins to investigate for roles in Leishmania mexicana parasite lifecycle progression. Applied and obtained a highly competitive 3 year PhD studentship (Biology Department). |
Collaborator Contribution | Applied and obtained a highly competitive 3 year PhD studentship (Biology Department). Molecular tools, resources, mentorship. |
Impact | None yet |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Investigating the molecular machinery that controls autophagy during Leishmania spp. differentiation. |
Organisation | University of York |
Department | The Institute for Effective Education |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Applied and obtained two undergraduate student summer fellowships (BBSRC, Lister). Applied and obtained a 4 year PhD studentship (BBSRC). Identified Leishmania spp. homologs of collaborators' main proteins of interest, verified expression in Leishmania mexicana. Trained two undergraduate student fellows in subcloning techniques. Supported students in daily meetings. Trained collaborator's Post Doc in Leishmania spp. biology and transgenic techniques. Identified phenotypic evidence that conserved factors are important for lifecycle progression to human infectious stages of Leishmania mexicana parasites. |
Collaborator Contribution | Applied and obtained two undergraduate student summer fellowships (BBSRC, Lister). Applied and obtained a 4 year PhD studentship (BBSRC). Supported students in daily meetings. Provided Post Doctoral support for students' projects. Provided insight into autophagy in other systems. |
Impact | Applied and obtained two undergraduate student summer fellowships (BBSRC, Lister). Trained two undergraduate students in autophagy, molecular biology and Leishmania spp. biology. Pursuing preliminary data for grant application. Advertised for competitive PhD studentship. Applied and obtained a 4 year PhD studentship (BBSRC). |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Methylation of RNA binding proteins in Leishmania |
Organisation | Universidade de São Paulo |
Department | Department of Cell and Developmental Biology |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Hosted a 4th year PhD student investigating post-translational methylation of RNA binding proteins by PRMT proteins in Leishmania. Trained in specialist protocols, generated data and corrected paper for resubmission to journal. Successfully applied for RCUK-CONFAP UK-Brazil Partnership Grant for seed money (2015). Successfully applied for CNPq Science without Borders PDRA fellowship funds to pursue PRMT7 protein targets (2015-16). Successfully applied for MRC-CONFAP UK-Brazil: Neglected Infectious Diseases Call grant funding (2016-18). |
Collaborator Contribution | They have preliminary data, had submitted a paper for and trained the PhD student prior to his time with us. Produced preliminary data for MRC-CONFAP grant application. Visited UK and gave seminar, discussed projects with PDRAs and students. |
Impact | Paper: Altered expression of an RBP-associated arginine methyltransferase 7 in Leishmania major affects parasite infection. Ferreira TR, Alves-Ferreira EV, Defina TP, Walrad P, Papadopoulou B, Cruz AK. Mol Microbiol. 2014 Oct 8. doi: 10.1111/mmi.12819. Successful Awards: 1. RCUK CONFAP Partnerships Fund Application 2. CNPq PDRA Fellowship 3. MRC-CONFAP UK-Brazil: Neglected Infectious Diseases Call |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Molecular Investigation of Leishmania-specific RBP function |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Department | Institute of Infection and Global Health |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Creating transgenic parasites to genetically characterise specific protein function. |
Collaborator Contribution | Isolation of interesting proteins from genomic screens. |
Impact | None yet. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Transgenic mse macrophages |
Organisation | University of York |
Department | Department of Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Transgenic Leishmania mexicana |
Collaborator Contribution | Transgenic mice with fluorescently labelled immune cells and knockouts of specific cytokines. Large scale parasite harvests for crosslinking experiments. |
Impact | In progress |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | mRNP subcellular localisation |
Organisation | University of Wurzburg |
Department | Parasitology |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Examining GFP-labelled RNA binding candidate regulators in transgenic Leishmania mexicana. |
Collaborator Contribution | Experts in subcellular microscopy. |
Impact | Transgenic parasite lines underway. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | BSP60York |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was the primary organiser for an international conference from the British Society for Parasitology celebrating its 60th Anniversary. The Hybrid format of the conference meant researchers from 53 countries were able to attend, though most participated in person. My PDRA on the INTEGRL grant presented her research and we made a huge impact, enabling great knowledge exchange within the field. York was selected based upon its credentials as a centre of Parasitology research in the UK. It was celebrated across campus and was the largest event our department has ever hosted. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.myeventflo.com/event.asp?m=4&evID=2412 |
Description | British Society for Parasitology Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I presented my research as a talk at the Spring BSP meeting and networked amongst colleagues. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | British Society for Parasitology Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | poster presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Introduced Leishmaniac.org to scientific community. Discussed current research objectives, obstacles and progress with colleagues, mentors and collaborators. Provided visiting international PhD student (FAPESP fellow) an opportunity to present his research. Discussed obstacles that prevented creation of inducible system from past attempts from esteemed colleague. Made plans to finish paper from Post Doctoral work. Met and made plans for future meeting with international and local colleagues. Introduced website to inspired researchers and discussed current collaborations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.bsp.uk.net/news-and-events/ |
Description | British Society for Parasitology Spring Meeting, Aberystwyth, April, 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | PI, PDRA and PhD student were all invited to speak and 2 PhD students were invited to present research posters at the top Parasitology conference in the UK. Select crowd of ~300-500 experts in the field, as well as industrial pharmaceutical research partners who expressed interest in outcomes. PI met with and mentored members of collaborators' lab during conference, consolidating and building upon current collaborations as well as establishing potential novel links. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Careers Fair |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Chaired and participated in a Careers Day targeted at Biology Dept undergraduate students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Developing the Young Workforce |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Created a portfolio (to be viewed at Blairgowrie Highschool) for students to see career possibilities with a degree in Mathematics |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Good Bugs/Bad Bugs presentation for primary students |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Presented a Good Bugs/Bad Bugs presentation to primary school students and teachers for half day. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Interviewed for an outreach magazine highlighting mRBPome paper in Mol Cell Proteomics. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Interviewed for "Tracking gene expression in Leishmania parasites" article in the THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (ASBMB) Careers Issue. This Special Feature article highlighted our research paper in Mol Cell Proteomics. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/science/080119/from-the-journals-august-2019 |
Description | Invited Seminar Speaker at Keele University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Invited to present at the seminar series in Molecular Parasitology at Keele University. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Invited Seminar at Cambridge University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented research outcomes and initiatives to members of Biochemistry and Pathology Departments at Cambridge University. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited Seminar at State University New York at Stony Brook |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented current research to former mentors; eukaryotic developmental geneticists. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited Seminar at University Sao Paulo |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussed current research and initiatives with colleagues and students. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited Seminar at the Institute for Parasitology, McGill University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited to present my research to over 50 colleagues and post graduate students for an institutional seminar series at McGill University. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Invited talk at Novartis |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Presented research from my laboratory promoting RNA binding proteins as potential weaknesses for anti-neglected infectious disease efforts to pursue. Was invited to visit and spend time/collaborate further with Novartis as opportunity and good drug targets arose by main NTD representative. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | KMCB meeting 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Bi-annual meeting of experts in Kinetoplastid parasite molecular biology. One of the most prominent conferences in the research field. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.mbl.edu/conferences/2019/04/19/kinetoplastid-molecular-cell-biology-2019-abstract-book/ |
Description | KMCBM 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented and led a session at the Kinetoplastid Molecular and Cellular Biology Meeting. Participants had great discussions, led to increased interest in protocols, collaborations and teaching opportunities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.parasitesrule.com/kmcb |
Description | Keynote SPeaker at BSP Spring 2020 Granada, Spain |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ~200 colleagues attended an international specialist conference, the British Society for Parasitology. Presentation of outcomes sparked questions and critical discussions afterwards. Increased networking and collaborative opportunities |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.medinadiscovery.com/bsp-meeting-trypanosomiasis-leishmaniasis-symposium-novel-advances-i... |
Description | Kinetoplastid Breeder's Club Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | All of the UK-based PIs who work in Kinetoplastid Parasite biology meet biannually to discuss research, trends and issues in our community. It is an exceptional networking opportunity. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Kinetoplastid Molecular Cellular Biology Meeting (Woods Hole, USA) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | My PDRA presented at the biannual KMCB meeting and his poster attracted a lot of attention. It sparked a lot of questions which led to discussions and positive feedback. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://ws3.mbl.edu/iebms/wri/wri_p1_display.aspx?oc=10&cc=KMCB-HOME |
Description | Kinetoplastid Molecular and Cellular Biology Meeting 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | My PDRA, PhD student and I all presented at the KMCB biannual international meeting at Woods Hole, MA, USA. Over 300 molecular parasitology scientists, from students to full Professors, attended. Our talks sparked questions, discussions, networking and new collaborative opportunities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://mbl-web.ungerboeck.com/wri/wri_p1_display.aspx?oc=10&cc=KMCB-HOME |
Description | MRC GCRF Neglected Tropical Disease Network UK Hub Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Consortium meeting to discuss current research, recent outcomes and future aims and strategy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://ntd-network.org/ |
Description | Meet a Scientist |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | STEM Ambassadors needed to make presentations about their academic research and/or their company's research programme to Year 10 students studying triple science. This is to raise awareness of the many different aspects of science in the working world to widen students experience of science in the classroom. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Mol Parasite Meeting 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Annual meeting of general parasite molecular biology. Prominent international meeting with worldwide reach and prestige. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://sites.google.com/site/mpmwoodshole/home |
Description | Molecular Parasitology Meeting XXVIII, Woods Hole, MA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | My PDRA and I both spoke to more than 200 international molecular parasitology scientists at Woods Hole to network, present and discuss research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | https://mbl-web.ungerboeck.com/wri/wri_p1_display.aspx?oc=10&cc=MPMHOME |
Description | Participated in The Royal Society UK-Brazil-Chile Frontiers of Science Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talks sparked ideas, inspired ideas and created new collaborations and international invitations. A collaboration with an important colleague. An idea for a novel anti-Leishmania therapeutic strategy. An invitation to provide a course in Kinetoplastid parasite genetics in Brazil in 2015. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | https://royalsociety.org/events/2014/02/frontiers-of-science/ |
Description | Pint of Science Science Fair Event, April, 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Pint of Science is the largest science fair int eh world and involves coordinated informal talks in an approachable format suitable for general audiences in local pubs. It was a full event and the audience were very enthusiastic, engaged and were eager to discuss leishmaniasis, Leishmania parasites and the work undertaken in my lab, University of York, the UK and worldwide to combat it. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Post Doc Society Presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussed and answered questions based upon experience attending an MRC grant panel for PDRAs who are seeking to apply for independent funding. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Presented at Pint of Science, 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Pint of Science is the largest international Science Festival. I presented my research in a lively, informal approachable manner to a general public audience in York, UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Primary School visit (York) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The children learned a lot about infectious diseases and good bacteria, bad bacteria, parasites and their immune systems. The students seemed inspired ad asked what we teach at the University. The primary school is in a less affluent area of York, and many pupils do not have relatives who have attended University, so the hope is that we inspired a few. They sent us photographs of a big wall they built with pictures of their bacterial plates and artwork they had drawn. Each student set an individual letter thanking us for the presentation and visit. This activity was spawned in response to my public outreach event in Nov. 2013. The teacher asked if we could visit again and her colleagues expressed interest in multiple future visits. We arranged for our colleague to visit with a follow-up presentation on the immune system soon afterwards. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | RNA Salon |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Co-organized an RNA workshop to discuss local and regional work and novel techniques in the field of RNA biology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | RNA Society Annual Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Poster inspired lots of questions and interest from colleagues and junior researchers. Discussed current research at length with colleagues and found out current relevant work of competitors. Was approached and complimented by Editor of high impact journal to review papers. Discussed arrangements to bring colleagues to York for presentations. Discussed ongoing work with collaborators. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.rnasociety.org/conferences/rna-2014/ |
Description | RNA Society UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Promoted my research objectives, information regarding Leishmaniasis and advertised my Post Doctoral position. Several Post Doctoral candidates applied for my advertised position - resulting in a candidate pool which was of a significantly higher caliber than initial round. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://rnauk2014.bio.ed.ac.uk/Welcome.html |
Description | Rare Diseases Day event at York Hospital |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | We reached a lot of doctors and local people from the public and informed them about rare diseases, their impact locally and the researchers at the University pursuing these diseases. The York Press newspaper wrote an article featuring an image of our presentation and outlining the research at York relevant to rare diseases in the UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/features/health/11057035.Experts_put_rare_diseases_on_the_map/ |
Description | SES Hovercraft |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Helping, supporting and acting as a mentor at the SES hovercraft day at The Mount School in York. This was an all girls event where they worked as teams to build and design their own hovercraft to enter the race at the end of the day. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | Science Engagement Celebration Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | Poster Presentation |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Represented the Centre for Infection and Immunity to present research objectives and science outreach activities undertaken by colleagues in the Science and science-related departments in Yorkshire. Networked with other local academic scientists then met with members of the public to discuss current research within my lab and the CII and brainstorm current and new outreach activities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Science Experiment outreach for Nursery |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Did an outreach event with nursery age children to spark interest in science using hands on kid-friendly experiments. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Society of Brazilian Protozoology Annual Meeting, Caxambu, Brazil, November, 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited to present 2 talks at most prestigious conference in Parasitology in Brazil. Talks and research were well received with many solicitations for collaborations as well as approached by many impressive students and PDRAs for potential work in my lab. Met with collaborators, answered grant reviewers comments while there and planned visits. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://sbpz.org.br/2018-2/ |
Description | Tryps School, São Paulo School of Advanced Science on pathogenic trypanosomatids: from basic biology to pathogenesis and new therapies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | A 2 week long specialist course on molecular biology, genomics, genetics and immunopathology of Leishmania and Trypanosoma cruzi parasites. It was an all-star lineup of teachers with the foremost experts from across the globe participating. Teaching was round the clock with 80 hand-picked students: 50% from Brazil, 50% from other countries. We dined, discussed, taught and assessed them. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://trypsschool.fmrp.usp.br/ |
Description | UK:Brazil Joint Centre Partnership in Leishmaniasis Meeting, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | First meeting of primary investigators involved in UK:Brazil Joint Centre Partnership in Leishmaniasis Meeting. Held in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil - investigators presented current research to introduce themselves to each other to promote research collaborations and stimulate ideas. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FS019472%2F1 |
Description | Visiting 1st year undergraduate |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | Student gained laboratory experience relevant to educational and professional goals. A keen first year undergraduate from my tutorial requested some research laboratory experience so I agreed she could visit for 1 week. She conducted experiments and trained with my 2nd year summer undergraduates. Afterwards she appeared very inspired by her work and will pursue longer research opportunities, including summer student fellowships, next year. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Visiting FAPESP fellow, international final year PhD student |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | Sparked an international collaboration between our laboratories which has resulted in a completed paper and preliminary data toward a collaborative grant. Student wants to return for Post Doctoral training. We completed the writing and final experiments for the student's PhD paper, his thesis and preliminary data toward future Post Doctoral work. Student was trained in specialist techniques and thrived in our research environment. Our laboratories have submitted two applications for future collaboration thus far and plan a larger collaborative grant application within the upcoming year. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.fapesp.br/en/5386 |
Description | Visiting Secondary student |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | An aspiring veterinary student gained veterinary-relevant research skills to use toward her applications and career perspective. The student joined my laboratory for a week and gained valuable training and perspective in parasite related diseases. She demonstrated some natural skill in conducting experiments and culturing parasites and afterwards asked for a letter of reference for her veterinary school applications which I provided. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | White Rose RNA Salon co-organiser |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Co-organized an RNA workshop to discuss local and regional work and novel techniques in the field of RNA biology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019 |
Description | World Leish VI meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Both PDRAs, PhD student and I all presented at the WorldLeish6 meeting, the largest meeting in our field which brings together over 1,500 leishmaniasis research scientists to network, discuss research objectives and outcomes and stimulate new collaborations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://worldleish2017.org/#/welcome |
Description | Zombies in York |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Zombies have taken over York and brought the city to a standstill. But one was caught: come along and get involved as scientists dissect a zombie in front of a live audience. This gruesome interactive event has hands-on opportunities to study the infectious agent causing the outbreak: examine their blood, play with brains and more. Be entertained, learn the science behind zombies and experience an event to remember! |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |