Billions of people are infected with roundworms (nematodes). Globally, increased antibiotic resistance (AR) and anthelminthic resistance (AHR) in bacteria, fungi, protozoans, and parasitic worms (helminths) is now a major societal problem. Furthermore, the anthelminthic drugs used causes environmental pollution, severely affecting butterflies and beetles on pasture.
Nematodes have developed several immunomodulatory mechanisms reducing the ensuing host immune response, thus improving “parasite fitness”. However, studies of host immune responses against Ascaridae L3 larvae stages remain scarce. To this end, we currently characterize the host-parasite interactions in vitro. As model organisms, we use the infective L3-larva stages of the zoonotic Ascaris suum and Toxocara canis worms infecting pigs, dogs, and humans, and the equine roundworm Parascaris univalens infecting horses. Primary cells isolated from horses, and different human and dog cell lines, serve as experimental infection models. In summary, this project will generate important knowledge of host-Ascarid immunomodulatory interactions.
Possible project questions are:
Characterization of the global gene expression changes after host cell and parasitic worm interactions (30 hp)
We have transcriptomic RNA-seq data from SciLifeLab in Uppsala from the host cell-L3 larvae interactions of horse BAL cells challenged with Parascaris L3 larvae and human Caco2 cells challenged with Parascaris and Toxocara L3 larvae. To elucidate host immune reactions and Ascaridae immunomodulatory mechanisms bioinformatics will be used to sort, annotate, and compare the data sets.
Open project start, exam project for veterinarians, and for candidate and master students.
