Understanding cell polarity & organelle biogenesis in parasites of mammals. Single-celled parasites cause economically significant diseases in both humans and livestock. These parasites undergo a comp

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Understanding cell polarity & organelle biogenesis in parasites of mammals. Single-celled parasites cause economically significant diseases in both humans and livestock. These parasites undergo a complex process to build the organelles that control their entry into host cells at their apical end, making the parasites hyper-polarised. Despite their importance, the proteins that control polarity establishment and apical organelle biogenesis are not known. This project will investigate two evolutionarily divergent parasites: Plasmodium, a mosquito-transmitted parasite that causes malaria, and Cryptosporidium, a gastrointestinal parasite. We will determine when, where and how these parasites establish their polarity and build their apical organelles, and whether these pathways are evolutionarily conserved.. Scheme: Discovery Projects. Field: 3207 - Medical Microbiology. Lead: Dr Benjamin Liffner