SPPIRIT Network

My attempt to become a professor was unsuccessful again but the diplonema tagging paper is now published in Open Biology. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...

T cell responses in repeated controlled human schistosome infection compared to natural exposure - Nature Communications In schistosomiasis-endemic regions, the cyclical nature of infection and treatment complicates understanding of host immune responses. Repeated controlled human Schistosoma mansoni infection, designed...

A real pleasure to be a part of this beautiful new study on T cell responses in repeat controlled human infection vs natural infection with #schistosomes, spearheaded by @emmahoulder.bsky.social with many wonderful colleagues #helminths #ImmunoSky #IDSky 🪱 🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Mosquito Tissue Ultrastructure-Expansion Microscopy (MoTissU-ExM) enables ultrastructural and anatomical analysis of malaria parasites and their mosquito - BMC Methods Background Study of malaria parasite cell biology is challenged by their small size, which can make visualisation of individual organelles difficult or impossible using conventional light microscopy. ...

On our first meeting on the 22nd of August, we will discuss an exciting recent study on ultrastructure-expansion microscopy of mosquito tissue for malaria research. Looking forward seeing you there! bmcmethods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....

The SPPIRIT Forum SPPIRIT would like to invite you to join our series of meetings - the SPPIRIT Forum! The forum is a platform where we will discuss parasitology, funding applications, experimental methods, and other t...

We would like to invite you to join our brand new SPPIRIT Forum! This series of online meetings aims to bring parasitologists together to discuss science, funding opportunities, etc.
For more info, join our mailing list: tinyurl.com/3j5ewezv

🚨 Postdoc alert! Our former committee member @macleanlab.bsky.social is looking for a postdoc to work on Toxoplasma metabolism in his lab. Great opportunity to do cool science in a beautiful city! 🧪🤝

MMV announces new partnership using AI-powered image analysis to accelerate malaria drug discovery | Medicines for Malaria Venture MMV announces new partnership using AI-powered image analysis to accelerate malaria drug discovery. The platform will improve identification of compounds with novel modes of action that can help comba...

MMV, @LPIXEL_Inc & @dundeeuni are partnering to accelerate #malaria drug discovery using advanced AI-powered image analysis. This partnership aims to develop a platform that could shave months off the process of screening & selecting compounds. Learn more: bit.ly/44Roq5o

Antitrypanosomal quinazolines targeting lysyl-tRNA synthetase show partial efficacy in a mouse model of acute Chagas disease Quinazolines targeting Trypanosoma cruzi lysyl-tRNA synthetase show partial efficacy in a mouse model of acute Chagas disease.

Delighted our latest paper is now published in Science Translational Medicine. Fantastic collab with Dr Avninder Bhambra and his team. Our studies reveal promising quinazolines selectively target KRS in T. cruzi. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@dundee.ac.uk

Structure–activity relationships of 1,5-dihydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4]diazepine-2,4(3H)-diones as inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas disease, caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), is responsible for a large health burden with around 6–8 million people infected globally. The current dru...

Great to have a latest #Chagas disease drug discovery paper published in @rsc.org MedChem: pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

This work highlights how we decide to progress or terminate series, and hopefully provides some useful approaches and lessons.

@ddu-dundee.bsky.social 🧪 #NTD #drugdiscovery

Genomic evidence of spatially structured gene flow and divergent insecticide resistance backgrounds of the malaria vector Anopheles funestus in Tanzania Abstract. Population genetic analysis of mosquitoes is important for understanding the distribution of insecticide resistance alleles, devising sustainable

New paper led by Joel Odero from the #VectorsGlasgow team in @sbohvm.gla.ac.uk and #IfakaraHealthInstitute
⬇️
Genomic evidence of spatially structured gene flow and divergent insecticide resistance backgrounds of the malaria vector Anopheles funestus in Tanzania academic.oup.com/genetics/art...

🚨 Postdoc alert! Amazing opportunity to work on Toxoplasma with @youngtoxolab.bsky.social in Edinburgh. Check it out!

Precision-edited histone tails disrupt polycistronic gene expression controls in trypanosomes - Nature Communications Transcription in trypanosomatids, such as Trypanosoma brucei, is predominantly polycistronic and involves unconventional RNA polymerase II promoters. This study uses precision gene editing, site-satur...

I used inducible CRISPR/Cas9 to make Trypanosoma brucei cell line that allowed me to edit originally muti-copy histone gene. We uncovered a novel role of H4 histone tail in gene regulation. I enjoyed working on this exciting project with @joanarcf.bsky.social, a great mentor.
doi.org/10.1038/s414...

Precision-edited histone tails disrupt polycistronic gene expression controls in trypanosomes - Nature Communications Transcription in trypanosomatids, such as Trypanosoma brucei, is predominantly polycistronic and involves unconventional RNA polymerase II promoters. This study uses precision gene editing, site-satur...

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Nice to have been involved in this great study from the Horn Lab, driven by @marketanovotna.bsky.social ! Elegant application of CRISPR precision editing and saturation mutagenesis!

The Thienopyrimidinone Gamhépathiopine Targets the QO Site of Plasmodium falciparum Cytochrome b Chemotherapy remains a key component of the arsenal of tools to fight malaria. Specifically, new drugs with diverse mechanism(s) of action are required to combat existing drug resistance. Here, we des...

New paper alert! Enjoy!
pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Drs Kyrie Dickson, Jaime Costales, Malgorzata Domagalska, Ferre Veken & Martin Llewellyn discuss #genome (dis)organisation in #Trypanosoma #cruzi: innovation through #instability? #Adaptation #Chagas #Aneuploidy #Trypanosomatids

www.cell.com/trends/paras...

SOX9 plays an essential role in myofibroblast driven hepatic granuloma integrity and parenchymal repair during schistosomiasis-induced liver damage Author summary Mammalian infection with schistosome worms results in the deposition of parasite eggs in the liver, where they secrete organ damaging toxins. In response, the liver generates a cellular...

Delighted to share our paper on the role of SOX9 in liver #fibrosis and #granuloma formation during #schistosome infection - a really great collaboration over the past few years with the Piper Hanley lab! #ImmunSky 🪱🧪

dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

📢 Big Announcement: Registration & abstract submission open for EMBO Workshop "Host-Parasite Relationship: From Mechanisms to Control Strategies" organized by ParaFrap @parafrap.bsky.social @embo.org

🗓️ 5-8 Oct 2025 - Les Embiez Island-France

🔚Deadline: 15 Jul 2025 meetings.embo.org/event/25-hos...

Registration and Abstract submission for MPMXXXVI are now open! Abstract submission deadline is June 27th, get yours in quickly. @rmc9z.bsky.social @mjgubbels.bsky.social @omarharb.org
🔗https://www.parasitesrule.com/mpm-xxxvi

Postdoctoral positions in epidemic mathematical/statistical modelling - Research Job description We are recruiting postdocs to contribute to research projects in the Mathematical Modelling of Infectious Diseases Unit, at Institut Pasteur in Paris. The candidates will be expected t...

New postdoc positions with a number of exciting epidemic modelling projects opening in our Unit at @pasteur.fr in beautiful Paris. Deadline for applications: 26th June.
research.pasteur.fr/en/job/postd...

Structure, assembly and inhibition of the Toxoplasma gondii respiratory chain supercomplex - Nature Structural & Molecular Biology Here the authors demonstrate that the assembly of mitochondrial respiratory supercomplex (III2–IV) from Toxoplasma gondii is critical for parasite fitness. They reveal the basis for cytochrome b inhib...

Happy to share our latest paper. Result of a great collaboration between @sheinerlab.bsky.social @oninopantsu.bsky.social and Alexander Mühleip’s new group.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Tissue atlas of Cryptosporidium parvum infection reveals contrasts between the natural neonatal calf model and laboratory mouse models Cryptosporidium is an apicomplexan parasite that causes diarrhoeal disease. The species C. parvum is zoonotic and causes significant morbidity and mortality for both humans and farm animals; most comm...

If you have ever wanted to know "Where is the gut is the parasite?" this pre-print is for you. 🐮 Led by Peyton, with thanks to our wonderful collaborators at @moredunfoundation.bsky.social Frank Katzer, @geordieparasit.bsky.social and EMs by @lemgruber.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Poster announcing the 4th SPPIRIT ECR Symposium on 31 October 2025 at the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh.

🗓️ Save the date!

The 4th SPPIRIT ECR Symposium is happening on 31st October 2025 at the Roslin Institute, Edinburgh. 🧬
Join us for a *spooktacular* day of research, networking, and community building with fellow parasitology ECRs.
More details coming soon - for now mark those calendars! 🎃

Professor Amy Buck elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for her work pioneering RNA biology March 2025: Professor Amy Buck, EID member in the School of Biological Sciences, has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh for her cross-disciplinary research to understand how pa...

Huge congratulations to EID member Amy Buck who has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh!

Full news story ⤵️

edinburgh-infectious-diseases.ed.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Researchers from the Reece Lab win prestigious Tam Dalyell prize for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science March 2025: Dr Aidan O'Donnell and Dr Petra Schneider from the Reece Lab in the Institute of Ecology and Evolution have been awarded the 2025 Tam Dalyell prize for their work in bringing the world of ...

🦟 Exciting news 🦟

@thetoiletduck.bsky.social and Petra Schneider from the @reecelab.bsky.social win prestigious Tam Dalyell prize for Excellence in Engaging the Public with Science for their work in bringing mosquitos to schools!

edinburgh-infectious-diseases.ed.ac.uk/researchers-...

Excited about trypanosome antigenic variation? The TrypsClub Journal Club is back on 2nd April to discuss a recent study from the Mugnier lab on T. brucei antigenic diversity in extravascular spaces. A great opportunity to discuss exciting research 📚, share ideas 💡, and connect with your peers! 🤝

Schistosomiasis: the hidden struggle for diagnosis and control Diagnostic dilemmaFor any disease, accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of effective treatment and control. Yet, for schistosomiasis, existing diagnostic tools are far from perfect.Diagnosis is done

Schistosomiasis remains underdiagnosed, undertreated, and underestimated as an NTD.

In a new Lancet article Prof. Russell Stothard explores the urgent need for better diagnostics, treatment, and global investment to meet WHO’s 2030 targets.

Read his piece on this important topic: lstm.ac/4kCohK7

Huge congratulations to our co-founder, Professor Lilach Sheiner (@sheinerlab.bsky.social), on receiving the C.A. Wright Medal! A well-deserved recognition of her dedication and impact in parasitology. 👏
#Parasitology #Apicomplexan #WomenInSTEM

An amazing opportunity to join a fantastic lab group engaged in exciting scientific research.
#apicomplexan #glasgow #scotland

@macleanlab.bsky.social has been a key contributor to SPPRIT, and we're grateful for his dedication. As he embarks on his new journey with his own lab, we wish him all the best for this exciting new chapter!

Seeing more and more parasitologists blueskiing. Just wanted to re-amplify that I have two starter packs of parasitologists that I regularly update with new members. Go and follow your fellow peeps! Also let me know if you cannot find yourself there.

Review in this collection: Unravelling mysteries at the #perivascular space: a new rationale for #cerebral #malaria #pathogenesis, authored by @malaria-sam.bsky.social Tania de Koning-Ward, Georges Grau & Saparna Pai. @lshtm.bsky.social @jcuofficial.bsky.social

www.cell.com/trends/paras...