Tapoka M

Really excited to be a part of this!

The essential host genome for Cryptosporidium survival exposes metabolic dependencies that can be leveraged for treatment An arrayed microscopy-based CRISPR screen revealed host genes affecting multiple infection phenotypes of the intracellular parasite Cryptosporidium. Hits in the host cholesterol biosynthesis pathway a...

Our paper has finally graduated from pre-print to peer-reviewed, pretty much unscathed, and is out now! www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...

Researchers uncover how intestinal parasite Cryptosporidium alters host cells Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have shown that the Cryptosporidium parasite exports a protein into infected intestinal cells, altering the gut environment and enabling the parasite to surv...

Crick researchers have uncovered how the intestinal Cryptosporidium parasite uses a protein to alter its host’s gut environment, enabling the parasite to survive and replicate.

www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-04...

Cryptosporidium modifies intestinal microvilli through an exported virulence factor Cryptosporidium is a common intestinal infection of vertebrates and a significant threat to public health. Within the epithelial layer of the intestine, the parasite invades and replicates. Infected cells are readily detected under the microscope by the presence of elongated microvilli, particularly around the vacuole where the parasite resides. Here, we identify a family of Cryptosporidium virulence factors that are exported into the host cell during infection and localise to the microvilli. We examine the trafficking and function of the most highly expressed family member, MVP1, which appears to control the elongation of microvilli through engagement of host EBP50 and CDC42. Remarkably, this mechanism closely mirrors that of an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli virulence factor, MAP, which is also known to drive host microvilli elongation during infection. This highlights a unique instance where eukaryotic and prokaryotic virulence factors have convergently evolved to modulate host actin structures through a similar mechanism. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

Cryptosporidium modifies intestinal microvilli through an
exported virulence factor!! Phenomenal work from the newly DR’ed Elena Rodrigues
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

A lovely couple days at the Festival of Genomics listening to cool science as well as catching up with old connections and new ones like my new lil buddy Pep Tide 😂 🐧

👏🏾🥳🤩 well done!

I don't consider myself a social person but somehow I know/know of people everywhere.

Finally clearing a 2024 New Year’s resolution, with 1 month to spare 😂

New personal website just dropped

drtapoka.com

🧑🏾‍🔬📸🍽️

Pink and orange sunset with palm silhouettes in the distance over Lake Kariba, Zambia

One of many favourite #Sunsets 🤩

@thecrick.bsky.social tiktok is now live! Definitely a fun challenge to distill my science into 10 words, and I’m going to need a tiny mic for all presentations going forward 😂😅🧬🦠🎤

www.tiktok.com/@thecrick/vi...

Got a bsky account just in time to share our paper on Cryptosporidium and CD8+ IELs out today! If you are interested in small intestinal damage models, intraepithelial lymphocytes, or dietary indole supplements as potential anti-Crypto prophylactics, please read on! www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

Talent in Diversity: Black History Month 2023 Part 2 We’re celebrating Black History Month 2023 with PRISM, the Crick’s race equity network, by highlighting the diversity of talent we have here at Crick.

Throughout #BlackHistoryMonth our race equity network, PRISM, is shining a spotlight on some of our amazing black and mixed heritage colleagues here at the Crick.
In part 2 we hear from our amazing colleagues Ronnie David and @tapokam.bsky.social
www.crick.ac.uk/news/2023-10...

We're having a bit of a tough quarter over at Skype a Scientist. I'm writing grants nonstop over here but won't know if it's working for a couple months.

The collapse of social media has made our business model of many small donors beak. In the meantime, your support is VERY appreciated.

Skype a Scientist | Patreon Connecting people with science through conversations & art

We serve classrooms with connections to scientists for free.

We put science into people's lives with public art & pop-ups.

We help scientists connect with their creativity to communicate science.

We rely on YOU to do this work.
Monthly support keeps us alive ❤️
www.patreon.com/SkypeAScient...

Black In Micro Week 2023. Black Microbiologists Association flagship virtual conference. 4 days of events on the virtual conferencing platform, Whova. All times in EST. Monday, Oct 23: STEM Education day. Keynote at 9AM and STEM education panel at 12 pm. Tuesday, Oct 24: Early Career Research day. Symposium featuring Black microbiologists 9 am - 12 pm. Wednesday, Oct 25: Careers day. Panel 12 pm - 1 pm. Thursday, Oct 26: Community day. Panel 1: Antimicrobial resistance 9 am - 10 am. Panel 2: UNITY 12 pm - 1pm

Available now: UPDATED flyer showing our full #BlackInMicrobiology Week 2023 schedule! We can't wait to kick things off on Monday and celebrate with you, please see our corrected time for the STEM education panel.

Register or Learn more today: blackinmicrobiology....