Members

Principal Investigator

Manuel Llinás Ph.D.

I am interested in the molecular mechanisms governing malaria parasite development and differentiation. To pursue this, my lab uses integrated approaches combining functional genomics, transcriptomics, molecular biology, computational biology, biochemistry, and metabolomics. The ultimate aim of my research is to better define malaria parasite biology with the goal of identifying novel therapies against this global human affliction.

Administrative Assistant

My role is to provide operational support to the lab, such as assisting with finances, arranging and coordinating travel, and processing lab orders as needed, so research is not interrupted.

Postdoctoral Researchers

My project focuses on unravelling the origins of antimalarial drug resistance mechanisms in intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum from a transcriptional perspective at a single-cell level.

My project is focused on understanding the metabolic effect of Plasmodium drug resistance, and I am also exploring antimalarial targets that are less susceptible to evolving drug resistance.

My projects focus on identifying transcription factors that are essential for Plasmodium falciparum sexual development and characterizing their importance for gametocytogenesis and gender-specific transcription programs. I'm also interested in understanding P. falciparum transcription from a structural perspective.

Graduate Students

My project aims to identify and characterize sequence-specific transcription factors that are involved in the regulation of sexual development, or gametocytogenesis, in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

My project uses molecular parasitology and microscopy to define roles for conserved protein domains with unknown function in transcriptional regulation.

I am working on bioinformatics methods to investigate how epigenetic factors such as histone modifications and chromatin architecture help regulate transcription factor binding and gene regulation in Plasmodium falciparum.

My project explores the role of metabolism during Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis and transmission.

Lab Managers & Research Assistants

Undergraduate Students

My project aims to determine the impact of host serum metabolites on P. falciparum's asexual growth during the red blood cell stage, with a focus on natural variation in human serum metabolites.

I am working on understanding the molecular mechanisms of sexual commitment in geographically distinct strains of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Visiting Scientists

Laboratory of Michel Frédérich at the Univ. of Liège

Fulbright Scholar (Senior Lecturer - Chemistry Univ. of Douala, Cameroon)

Visiting Students

High School Students

Alumni