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SUMMARY:Hunting the Silent Killer: Investigating Chagas disease in a murin
 e model - Dr Martin Taylor. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
DTSTART:20220427T150000Z
DTEND:20220427T160000Z
UID:TALK172499@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Anna Protasio
DESCRIPTION:Chagas disease\, caused by infection with the parasite Trypano
 soma cruzi\, is the most important parasitic infection in the Western hemi
 sphere. An estimated 6-7 million people are infected and the disease is em
 erging as a global threat. Infection is lifelong and between 30-40% of tho
 se infected go on to develop life-threatening cardiac or digestive patholo
 gy. There is no vaccine and only two drugs\, both of which are toxic and b
 oth are activated by the same parasite enzyme. Hence there is a need for g
 ood pre-clinical animal models which recapitulate the human disease and ca
 n be used to examine mechanisms of immunity\, pathogenesis and drug action
 .\nWe have developed murine models for both cardiac and digestive forms of
  the disease using highly sensitive bioluminescent reporter parasites that
  allow for the dynamics of the infection to be monitored for months in ind
 ividual animals. The model has been further developed for analysis of host
 -pathogen interactions at the cellular level by incorporation of dual biol
 uminescence/fluorescence reporters. We have utilised this model to examine
  the effects of treatment on cardiac pathology and we have been able to an
 alyse parasite replication within the tissues. We are currently using this
  system to examine the immunology of the infection and to identify mechani
 sms of immune evasion.\n\nThis talk will be broadcasted via Zoom. Please u
 se this "link":https://zoom.us/j/95026514738?pwd=aUtoam1zbDRYYWU0M1Nob2VPQ
 XNvZz09 to gain access. 
LOCATION:Marjory Stephenson Seminar Room\, Hopkins Building\, Dept of Bioc
 hemistry
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